Acorn Squash and Date with Quinoa in Milk

INGREDIENTS: (4 Servings)

1/3 Acorn Squash, peeled, deseeded, and cubed

2 cups Quinoa

1.5 cups Water

8 Dried Dates, pitted

1/3 cup Pumpkin Seeds

2 cup Milk (to serve)

Honey (to serve)

DIRECTION:

1. To cook the quinoa, rinse it under running water until the water runs clean and not foamy; drain well.  Set the quinoa in a pot with 1.5 cups of water.  Bring it to a boil over high heat.  Once it's boiling, turn the heat to the lowest, cover the lid, and continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until the quinoa becomes fluffy.  It is always better to have a taste test.  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and allow it to cool.

2. Meanwhile, boil another small pot of water.  Add cubed acorn squash.  Cook over high heat until tender; about 8-10 minutes.  Depends on the size of the cubes.

3. To serve, combine quinoa, squash, dates, pumpkin with milk.  Drizzle some honey for the additional sweetness if preferred.

Edamame Clementine Quinoa Salad 毛豆橘子藜麥沙律

It is a light and refreshing salad that can be a main or a side dish.  We love the juicy clementine, but you can also use mango or pomegranate.  You can also use bulgur or couscous instead of quinoa.

INGREDIENTS:

10 Clementines, peeled and segmented

2 cups Edamame, frozen

1 cup Quinoa

1 Red Bell Pepper, deseeded and cut into cubes

1/2 Small White Onion, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 cup Dried Fruit (I used figs and raisins)

1/3 cup Almond, toasted

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Sunflower Seed Oil (or substitute to olive oil)

材料：

10 隻 橘子，去皮，分成小塊

2 杯  毛豆，急凍

1 杯  藜麥

1 個  紅橙籠椒，去籽，切小粒

1/2 個  洋蔥，去皮，切小粒

1 杯  乾果 (這兒用上毛花果和葡萄乾)

1/3 杯  果仁，烤過

2 湯匙  橄欖油

1 湯匙  葵花籽油 (或用橄欖油)

DIRECTION 做法:

1. To cook the quinoa, rinse the quinoa with a few changes of water to get rid of the bitter taste; drain.  Set it in a pot.  Add 1.5 cups of water and a pinch of salt; bring it to a boil over high heat.  Once the water starts a rolling boil, turn the heat to low.  With the lid on, cook the quinoa for about 15 minutes.  Turn off the heat.  Fluff the quinoa with a fork and allow it to cool.

1. 藜麥過水約三次以去除苦味。把其倒入鍋中，加入1.5杯水和少撮鹽。用大火燒滾。當水滾後，把火調低至最低火，蓋上鍋蓋，繼續煮約15分鐘；關火。用叉輕輕拌鬆藜麥並任其放涼。

2. Boil another pot of water.  Add edamame and boil over high heat until it is cooked; about 10 minutes.  Drain well and let it cool.

2. 燒熱另一鍋水，下毛豆。用大火煮至熟；約10分鐘。濾水，放涼。

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients together.  Gently mix until well combined.  Serve in room temperature.

3. 在一只大碗內，加入所有材料。輕輕拌勻便可食用。

June Berry Muffins with Lemon and Cardamom

June berries are also called service berries.  We are so lucky to have many of them grow at the park across the street.  When it comes to mid-June, the berries will become purplish-red and attract many birds to eat them.

My son is familiar with these little tiny juicy berries and he knows exactly which trees in the park produce the best berries.  He often suggests to pick some berries on the way home to add into pancakes or muffins, but he usually ends up snacking on them instead of bringing them home.  Now, eating June berries is a highlight for my son in the summer after he plays at the splash pad at the park.

Actually June berries are a very common botanical plant in Toronto.  If you pay attention, you will certainly come across them in parks, gardens, or sidewalks.

I froze the June berries before I used them for the recipe here.  It is only because I didn't have time to make the muffins for that few days and I didn't want them to go bad.  However, fresh berries are equally good.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup June Berries, frozen

1 cup Cornmeal

2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons Baking Powder

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 handful of Quinoa (optional)

3 Eggs, beaten

1/2 cup Butter, melted

1 cup Milk, 2%

1 Lemon, zest and juice

2 teaspoons Cardamom, ground

1 teaspoon Ground Ginger

pinch of Salt

材料：

1 杯  Juneberries，冷凍

1 杯  玉米粉

2 杯  麵粉

2 茶匙  泡打粉

1/2 杯  棕糖

一把  藜麥 (隨意)

3 隻  雞蛋，打勻

1/2 杯  牛油，熱溶

1 個  檸檬，皮和汁

2 茶匙   豆蔻粉

1 茶匙  薑粉

少撮  鹽

DIRECTION:

1. Preheat the oven at 360F.

2. In a large bowl，combine butter, eggs, milk, lemon juice and zest together; mix well.

3. Add in cornmeal, flour, quinoa, cardamom, ground ginger, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Mix everything thoroughly into batter.

4. Gently stir in the frozen June berries.  Divide the batter equally into the paper muffin cups.  Bake for about 20 minutes.

做法：

1. 預熱焗爐至360F。

2. 在一只大碗內，加入牛油、蛋、檸檬汁和皮；拌勻。

3. 下玉米粉、麵粉、藜麥、薑粉、棕糖、泡打粉，鹽；拌勻成麵糊。

4. 輕輕拌入Juneberries。把麵糊平均倒入小蛋糕模。焗若20分鐘。

Sweet Coconut Quinoa with Mango | 椰奶香芒藜麥

It is kind of another version of coconut mango sago.  Instead of the starchy sago, I used quinoa.  I would say the flavour, texture, and nutrition are all enhanced by adding the nutty flavoured quinoa.

You can serve it either warm or cold.  Both ways are tasty.

Sweet Coconut Quinoa with Mango

椰奶香芒藜麥

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa, rinsed

400 ml Coconut Milk

1 cup Water

50 gram Palm Sugar

1-2 Mango

材料：

1 杯   藜麥，洗淨

400 毫升   椰奶

1 杯   水

50 克   椰糖

1-2 個   芒果

DIRECTION: