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Spiced Apple & Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

11/14/2017

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As we enter the colder months of fall and winter, I am less drawn to eating smoothies and acai bowls for breakfast. In fact, I am a believer that our bodies’ best utilize these types of things when the weather is warm. This is one of the reasons why eating with the seasons is so important.

Hardy, warming foods are a great way to support our bodies when the temperatures drop, but if I’m being honest, there is only so much oatmeal that I want to eat. I’ve never been a huge fan of oatmeal, and regardless of how I try to change the way I flavor it, I still get bored with it. That’s where quinoa for breakfast comes in!

Using lots of warming spices, seasonal apples, and creamy coconut milk, this super grain transforms into a very satisfying breakfast. Packed with protein, fiber and medicinal spices, my spiced apple and quinoa breakfast bowl not only gets me out of the oatmeal rut, but it is also very nourishing to my body. This is a great dish to make in advance and reheat throughout the week, so you can have a healthy start to every morning!


Spiced Apple & Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
(serves 3-4)
  • 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • ½ water
  • ½ cup coconut milk or other non-dairy milk of choice
  • 2 large honeycrisp apples, cored and chopped 
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ - 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger, depending on preference
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon cardamom
  • 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, depending on sweetness preference
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional toppings: almonds, pecans, walnuts,  chia seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, pat of ghee or coconut oil
 
  1. Rinse and drain quinoa. To a medium sauce pan, add 1 can of coconut milk plus additional water to equal 2 cups of liquid. Add quinoa and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes.
  2. In a large skillet, add ½ cup water, chopped apples, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and cardamom.  Allow the apples and spices to cook for about 10 minutes, or until they become soft.
  3. Once apples are soft, add the cooked quinoa, ½ cup coconut milk, maple syrup and a small pinch of salt to the pan. Stir well and cook over medium-low heat for a few minutes more, until evenly heated through. Feel free to add additional milk to reach desired consistency. 
  4. Serve with your favorite toppings. This dish is also good leftover and can easily be reheated on the stovetop. 
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Unfried Squash

11/6/2017

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A few nights ago I came across the documentary, Feel Rich. This film addresses the hip-hop community, and brings awareness to the importance of incorporating a healthy lifestyle. From managing stress to eating a plant based diet, getting more exercise to connecting with community, the shift in culture is making being healthy the cool thing to do. As a holistic nutritionist and someone who grew up in the south, I loved this film and the message it is sending! Just as the subtitle says, health is the new wealth. If we don't take care of ourselves, how can we enjoy this life we have been given?

So much of the time when I'm working with clients, I see a lot of resistance around people changing their diet. There is this idea that they will have to give up all the foods that they love and never be able to enjoy them again. In reality, rather than giving food up, you just have to learn new ways to enjoy these foods.

Growing up in the south, I learned to eat many of my veggies fried. While they taste great, frying vegetables pretty much cancels out any of the health benefits that the veggies have. That's why I now oven fry my squash when I have a craving for some soul food. The results give you the same satisfying flavor and texture, but removes all of the unnecessary grease and bad fats. 


Unfried Squash
  • 3 medium zucchini, summer squash or a mixture of the two
  • About 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, melted (I use Nutiva's butter flavored coconut oil for this)
  • 1/2 cup of corn meal
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour OR almond meal
  • a couple pinches of himalayan salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
 
  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Wash squash and pat dry. Slice into thin rounds (about 1/4 inch).
  3. In a shallow, wide bowl, combine cornmeal, almond meal or coconut flour, and salt and pepper. Mix until evenly combined.
  4.  Melt coconut oil in a seperate bowl.
  5. Dip squash in the coconut oil (just enough for a light coating), then dredge the slices in the cornmeal mixture to coat evenly on both sides.
  6. Lay the battered squash slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove from oven to flip the slices and bake for an additional 7-8 minutes. 
  7. Serve immediately. 


*For Paleo option, use almond meal and coconut flour. I have not tried this, but I think it would work well.
 
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