Q for quinoa for #AtoZChallenge: warm nutty quinoa recipe with avocado and tomato

Quinoa is high in protein and lacks gluten, which makes it a wonderful choice for vegetarians, vegans and people with gluten intolerance.



The quinoa that we eat are actually quinoa seeds. They appear in red, black or commonly yellowish white (ivory). They are also high in magnesium, iron, phosphorus & dietary fiber. Every 100 g of cooked quinoa contains relatively high amount of (0.24 g) of amino acid lysine (Lys / K), with positively charged (basic) side chain in its biochemical structure. Lys is essential for tissue growth and repair.

Quinoa is also a source of vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B9 (folate). Riboflavin may help reduce the frequency of migraine attacks through improving the cellular metabolism. Folate is essential for formation and development of new and normal body tissue.

Quinoa - affectionately referred to as the gold of Incas - originates from the Andean region of Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, in Latin America. The Incas referred to quinoa as mother of all grains.

In 2013 International Year of Quinoa, The United Nations General Assembly paid special recognition to Andean people of Peru who have prepared "a future sown thousands of years ago" through knowledge and practices of living in sync with mother nature. Harmonious living is one of our values, and I am happy to support such an ancient superfood. Yes, quinoa is listed as one of the superfoods for brains in the book 365 ways to boost your brain power by Carolyn Dean, Valentine Dmitriev, and Donna Raskin. It appears that quinoa is potentially good for our children to learn better, our parents and grandparents to minimize risks of dementia and Alzheimer's diseases, and ourselves to do better work.

For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 19 Sat, I lovingly present a recipe of warm nutty quinoa meal with avocado and tomato by ServicefromHeart. While you prepare this meal or enjoy it, listen to El Condor Pasa (If I could). Our favorite versions include the one by Simon & Garfunkel. 

Servings: 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
♥ 1 cup quinoa
♥ 2 cups water
♥ 1/4 tsp salt
♥ 1 avocado
♥ 2 ripe tomatoes
♥ 2 tbsp nuts (almond / pistachio / cashew / walnut)
♥ 2 tbsp fresh herbs of basil / parsley
♥ 2 tbsp sesame oil
♥ 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
♥ 1 tsp honey
♥ 1/2 tsp pepper
♥ 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa thoroughly to remove any toxic saponin.
2. Boil quinoa in salted water over medium heat for  5 minutes. Lower heat and simmer until water is absorbed.
3. Meanwhile, mince garlic, cut avocado and tomatoes into bite chunks. Quickly coat avocado chunks with balsamic vinegar to prevent them from turning dark.
4. After quinoa is cooked, fluff it.
5. Mix warm quinoa with sesame oil, honey, pepper, garlic.
6. Toss the mixture with avocado and tomatoes.
7. Garnish with nuts & herbs.

Tips:
♥ For better flavor, (1) if you have extra time, before boiling, lightly toast quinoa and nuts separately, until fragrant and (2) boil quinoa in broth instead of water.
♥ Toast over medium or low heat and stir constantly.
♥ Besides using balsamic vinegar, you can also coat avocado chunks with lemon juice.
♥ To fluff quinoa, I prefer using chopsticks - delicate extensions of human fingers. Fork is okay to fluff them too.

Other recipes that I love:
♥ Heidi Swanson's warm and nutty cinnamon quinoa- for breakfast- at 101 Cookbooks
♥ Susan Voisin's quinoa vegetable paella at FatFree Vegan Kitchen
♥ Lydia Walshin's  quinoa salad with tomatoes, feta and parsley at Perfect Pantry
♥ Tara Austen Weaver's China Forbes quinoa  at Tea and Cookies

Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140419

H for honey for #AtoZChallenge: warm honey heart pasta salad recipe by ServicefromHeart

First of all, my heart goes to you all who have kindly visited ServicefromHeart and left encouragements and constructive suggestions! Thank you very much ♥



Honey - a symbol of sweetness - is as sweet as granulated sugar. To give our food or beverages a sweet flavor, I often use honey (which has antiseptic and antibacterial properties) to substitute sugar.

Honey is also a symbol of everlasting, sweet new year, and healing in some cultures.

"And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men's) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought" ~ Al-Quran 16:68–69.

Suitable for long-term storage, as long as we minimize its access to humidity, honey is a must-have food item in our kitchen.

To prevent ants from competing with us, I immerse the honey jar in a shallow bowl containing water, just like a moat-protected mini castle.

Remember to change the water on alternate day to avoid a breeding ground for tropical mosquitoes, especially dengue-causing Aedes mosquito!

Alternatively, use the left-over of soapy water from washing dishes. 

♥♥♥

Both Winnie the Pooh and baby Ren loves honey. Many times, we love things that people whom we love, also loves.



Thank you hardworking honey bees! Without you all who diligently collect nectar from flowers, we would not be able to enjoy sweet honey.



For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 09 Wed, I lovingly present a recipe of warm honey heart pasta salad by ServicefromHeart. 

This easy to prepare recipe calls for many loving and heart-warming ingredients. It is suitable for a breakfast or bruch on the Valentine's Day, or a birthday of a loved one.



Rich in vitamin C, strawberry is a sweet companion for this salad as it forms many hearts when sliced.



Avocado adds smooth and creamy texture to this honey heart pasta. You may also be interested in a post on avocado for #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 01 Tue.  



Servings: 2
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes



Ingredients:
♥ 1 tbsp honey (蜜糖)
♥ 1 tbsp sesame oil (麻油)
♥ 1 tsp balsamic vinegar (香醋)
♥ 1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped (芫荽叶)
♥ 1 tsp black sesame seeds (黑芝麻)
♥ 1.5 rice-cooker-cup heart-shaped 3-color pasta (心形三色意大利面)
♥ 2 tbsp Heinz mini star-shaped pasta (小星形意大利面)
♥ 1/2 avocado (牛油果), peeled, cored & chunked
♥ 3 strawberries (草莓), washed & sliced into heart shapes
♥ 6 grapes (葡萄), peeled & quartered
♥ 6 cherry tomatoes (小番茄), washed & halved / quartered




Directions:
1. Boil pasta in salted water until al dente. Since the star pasta is much smaller, I added it later.
2. Meanwhile, mix honey, sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, cilantro, sesame seeds, cherry tomatoes.
3. Once cooked, toss pasta with the honey mixture gently to prevent accidentally breaking the heart pasta.
4. Garnish with strawberries, grapes, avocado.



Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes, especially for salad! 

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140409

A for avocado for #AtoZChallenge: warm pasta with avocado salad recipe by ServicefromHeart

I have loved avocado since I was a kid. In Jakarta, Indonesia, my girlfriends and I would once in a while enjoy cold avocado chocolate milkshake on hot afternoons! I also always love a bite of avocado inside my sushi accompanying fresh raw salmon meat.



For #AtoZChallenge on 2014 April 01 Tue, I lovingly present to you an easy salad recipe of warm pasta with avocado.

Servings: 2
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
♥ 150 g dried pasta
♥ 1 ripe avocado
♥ 1 water apple
♥ 1 red onion
♥ 1 tbsp sesame oil
♥ 1 tbsp sesame seed
♥ 1/2 tsp mixed herbs of basil, oregano, garlic, thyme, red bell peppers, parsley

Directions:
1. Cook pasta in boiling salt water according to package instructions. Stir occasionally and let boil for recommended time.
2. Meanwhile, peel and pit avocado, cut it into bite size. Quickly coat avocado dices with sesame oil to prevent them from turning black (getting oxidized).
3. Cut water apple and chop onion. Mix with avocado.
4. Drain pasta and mix with other ingredients.
5. Garnish with sesame seeds and herbs.

Avocado is also a favorite choice for vegetarian dishes for its high fat content. Fat sounds scary but there are good fats around. Let's learn how to add heart-healthy mono-and polyunsaturated fats to our diet. Most (~67%) of avocado's fats is monounsaturated fat (oleic acid). Avocado is also rich in folate, which is good for pregnant mothers and their babies.



Avocado sounds like Avogadro constant to me. Its value is equal to 6.02214129×10²³ mol⁻¹, and it represents the number of constituent particles (usually atoms or molecules) per mole of a given substance. The Avogadro constant is fundamental to understanding both the make-up of molecules and their interactions and combinations. Imagine all the particles in the molecules of our food! Too much for me but I appreciate them.

Water apple is also known as water cherry, rose apple, pearl jumbu, jambu air. In my childhood, I enjoyed it as an ingredient for rujak in Jakarta, Indonesia. In this recipe, the sweet and crunchy water apple contrasts the soft and creamy texture of avocado.

For this meal, I used the Gomitini pasta of Colavita brand of Italy. I bought this pasta from NTUC Fairprice as it was on promotion at the same price as the house-brand one. I was also attracted by the time it takes to cook, only 5 minutes! So, I decided to give it a try. It will be better if the plastic packaging is more durable.

Tips:
♥ To determine if an avocado has ripen, it should appear brown in skin color and yield to gentle pressure when held in the palm of the hand and squeezed.
♥ Keep a small bottle of dried mixed herbs in our fridge, it comes very handy! For better flavor, fresh herbs are still the best.
♥ If you have extra time, lightly pan toast the sesame seeds for better fragrance. 
♥ Since raw onions have strong smell, it is a good idea to rinse our mouth after this meal, especially if we are going to chat with our family members, friends or colleagues.

Recipes that I also love:
♥ Indonesian-style avocado milkshake with black coffee
♥ Avocado, Grapefruit & Shrimp Salad
♥ Cucumber & avocado salad
♥ Kinpira of capsicum and water apple   

Check also our other #5minutemeal recipes.

With love,
ServicefromHeart
20140401