Banza Chickpea Rice {served with delicious Lemon Chicken}

I am finally getting around to trying the new Banza Chickpea rice!! I am a RD ambassador for the company and a big fan of their chickpea pasta {check out these recipes here & here!}. Also, I am a LOVER of rice so when they sent me this to try I was pumped!! I debated for weeks on how exactly I wanted to use the rice, but then I found this delicious looking Lemon Chicken recipe from Little Spice Jar and knew I wanted to pair the chickpea rice with it! I changed up the chicken recipe a little, like used half-n-half instead of heavy cream {because that is what was in the fridge} and used grass-fed butter, but other than that I followed her recipe {here}, added some steamed broccoli and the Banza rice and it was DELICIOUS.

So back to the chickpea rice. It was really good! Great, even! It taste like a mix between rice and orzo, which I love both so that was a win for me! Much like alternative pastas, it can easily be overcooked and is best if you serve it right away!! For this particular dish I added a little butter, about 1 tbsp of half-n-half, and a squeeze of lemon juice after i drained the rice and it was really tasty. Overall this is an awesome alternative when you don’t want all the sometimes unwanted factors that come along with regular rice. Plus, it has a ton of protein and good fiber for a “rice”! I love any foods that taste good and added some extra nutritional benefits. I want to try it next in a stir-fry… I think that would be yummy! The Banza Rice {and pastas} are available at Whole Foods nationwide!

<3 Norma

Thai Quinoa Salad

Hey y’all! It has been a while since I have posted a recipe on the blog. With Chapman becoming more mobile and curious every day, she keeps my hands completely tied up during the day. And now that she is eating table food, a lot of my meal prep is focused on her. With that being said, she has now discovered her legs and lovesss to be in her walker! Which is great for me because she can stay busy strolling around the main floor and I can keep an eye on her while I cook…. win, win!

It is still hard core winter up here and we are still covered in snow. Typically winter screams comfort foods and carbs. Not going to lie… I have definitely indulged this season, but I am now desparately craving greens and SPRING! This salad was inspired by Ambitious Kitchen. I love anything cashew, really, {see my cashew recipes here, here & here} and wanted a “fun” salad. This seemed to fit the bill.

I am all about cutting down on prep time, especially now that I’m a mom and time is limited, so I picked up a few prepped items along with some fresh ingredients at Trader Joe’s to bring my version of this Thai Quinoa Salad to life. My friend told me to try the ginger/carrot/miso dressing from Trader Joe’s (its in the refrigerator section) and this asian salad was the perfect time to give it a try. Full honestly here, the dressing is GOOD! However, I’m not a huge fan of canola oil and this dressing does have it has a base, BUT there is no added sugar which is a major win!! So moral of the story… compromise.  Other than that, this salad HIT THE SPOT and is super easy. I added some chicken {sauteed in lime infusion evoo with salt, pepper and ground ginger}, but you can keep it vegan/vegetarian if you want! Here’s the recipe. Take a look….

Ingredients  {Serves 4-5}

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa

• 1, 8-oz bag of shredded cabbage, preferably red but can be mixed {I used the Kale, Brussel Sprout and Cabbage salad mix from Trader Joe’s}

• 1 red bell pepper, diced

• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion

• 1 cup shredded carrots

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• ¼ cup diced green onions

• ½ cup cashew halves

• 1 bottle of asian inspired dressing {I used the ginger carrot miso dressing from Trader Joe’s— you won’t use the whole bottle fyi but you can add the dressing as desired}

  • If you want to make your own asian inspired dressing, here is a peanut butter based one from Ambitious Kitchen

• Optional: sesame seeds, crunchy wontons for garnish and fresh lime

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the diced onion and bell pepper. Set aside

2. Cook the quinoa according to the package. {If you want a little extra flavor to your quinoa, try using a low-sodium broth instead of water}. Once quinoa is done cooking, remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

3. Add the cooked quinoa to the bowl of onion and bell peppers and make layer of the quinoa over the onions and bell pepper. Drizzle about 3 tbsp of dressing over the top of the quinoa and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. I do this to slightly soften the onion and bell peppers since I didn’t cook them. {you can add more dressing later if you want!}

4. Next add the cabbage, carrots, cashews and cilantro into the bowl with the quinoa. Stir until well combined, adding dressing as desired. *for best results, massage the dressing into the cabbage mixture with your hands.

5. Garnish with cashews, green onions, sesame seeds, or fresh lime juice. Serve chilled or at room temperature with your choice of meat, if desired.

Enjoy <3 Norma

Low-Carb Deconstructed Egg Roll

I am a sucker for some good asian cuisine. However, I am not a fan of the swollen face and fingers that come with it (or at least seem to immediately happen to me). Daniel and I have found an Asian take-out restaurant in our new community that has KILLER eggs rolls!! When ever we order from there (which we try not to do too often), we both double check to make sure the pork eggs rolls are in our “cart” before we check out… whoops ;p. In efforts to try and satisfy our craving for these delicious eggs rolls but not wanting to have to cut my rings off my fingers (don’t you hate that feeling?), I wanted to make a dish without so much guilt (or sodium). Inspired by 40 aprons, this dish did just that. I changed a few things around and added Thai peanut sauce- which I don’t use too much or too often because it can get dangerous real quick! But the end result was delicious!!! Take a look…

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp sesame oil (can use extra virgin olive oil if needed)

• 6 scallions, sliced- green and white parts divided

• 1/2 cup red onion, diced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 lb ground pork

• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger

• 2-3 tbsp Thai peanut sauce

• 10 oz bag of kale coleslaw mix (or something similar)

• 2 cups shredded cabbage

• 3 tbsp coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

• black pepper

• salt to taste

• Sesame seeds for garnish

• green parts of sliced green onions from above for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat sesame oil in a large skillet and place over medium heat.

2. Add white parts of green onions, diced red onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, until red onion begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes.

3. Add ground pork, grated ginger, and 2 tbsp of Thai peanut sauce, lightly season with salt and pepper and cook until pork is browned, breaking up the pork while cooking, about 7-10 minutes.

4. Add kale coleslaw mix, shredded cabbage, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), rice wine vinegar, salt & pepper to taste, and stir until well combined. Cook, stirring regularly, until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Serve while hot and top with green top of scallions, sesame seeds and a drizzle of Thai peanut sauce and/or hot sauce, if desired.

   Enjoy <3 Norma

Chicken Poblano Corn Chowder

Soup season is HERE!!! There is something about the cool crisp breeze and a good bowl of soup… makes me feel warm inside. Another great thing about soup is you can basically throw whatever you have into a pot of soup and make it work. I encourage you to use what you have in the fridge/pantry to make this soup your own. I was inspired by a recipe I found in Fine Cooking Magazine, and decided to change a few things up based on what I was craving/what I had at home. Not even going to lie to you, I used a pre-chopped mirepoix mix (which is a pre-chopped onion, carrot & celery) because with an infant— ain’t nobody got time to chop every single veggie. Amiright? But I left them separate in the ingredients in case you’re feeling ambitious. I also boiled my chicken in Bonafide Provisions Organic Bone Broth and then shredded it. I added in some spinach for a fresh element, but if you’re not feeling it then you can leave it out. Here’s the recipe, take a look…

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded 

• 3 tbsp grass-fed butter  

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped  

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped  

• 1 medium celery, thinly sliced  

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander  

• 2 tsp ground cumin  

• 1 tsp chopped thyme, preferably fresh  

• 2 tbsp flour

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 1/2 cup low fat milk  

• 4-5 red potatoes, chopped into 1/2” pieces  

• 1 cup sweet corn  

• 1 tbsp lemon  

•  1 cup fresh spinach, packed (optional)

Directions

1. Melt better in a stockpot over medium heat.  

2. Add the onion, poblano, carrot, celery, coriander, cumin, thyme, lightly season with salt & pepper. Stir occasionally until onions become translucent (~5-6 minutes). 

3. Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir for about 30 seconds.  

4. Stir in tomato paste, and then add the broth and milk.  

5. Add in potatoes and corn and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. 

6. Add in shredded chicken and spinach (optional) and stir. Cover and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes. Serve warm and top with lemon juice, as desired.

Enjoy <3 Norma