WholeGrain

Maple Quinoa Salad

/ Sandi Knight / Leave a comment

With spring’s arrival the desire for quick and easy make-ahead meals increases. This whole-grain quinoa salad fits the bill, plus it incorporates one of my favourite flavours — maple! 

I use locally grown “Prairie Quinoa” along with Manitoba maple syrup produced in our area.  An excellent salad to add to your meal-prep repertoire!  

Maple Quinoa Salad

Main Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 6 -8 green onions, chopped
  • 1 cup kernel corn (frozen or canned)
  • 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup pecans, walnuts or almonds, chopped

Vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup

Directions:

Place water, quinoa and 1 tbsp maple syrup in medium saucepan and bring to a boil.  Stir, cover pot, reduce heat and simmer for 15—20 minutes until cooked through.  Remove the saucepan from heat, fluff quinoa with a fork and let sit 5 —10 minutes.  Cool completely and transfer to a serving bowl.

While quinoa is cooling prepare peppers, green onions, corn, black beans and nuts.  Whisk together apple cider vinegar, canola oil and maple syrup.

Add veggies, beans, nuts and vinaigrette to cooled quinoa. Toss well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

/ Sandi Knight / 2 Comments

If you are looking for a hearty, healthy, flavourful, pumpkin muffin recipe — this is it!  Perfect for breakfast, snacks and dessert too! These muffins are family favourite and always a welcome addition to university care packages. 

 Adapted from a recipe found on food.com several years ago. 

Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

2016-10-14-13-18-00

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 – 398 ml can of pumpkin puree (1 2/3 cup)
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole barley flour or whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ginger
  • 1/3  cup mini-chocolate chips

Directions:

  1.   Pre-heat oven to 375°F (190ºC)
  2.   Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with large parchment baking cups.
  3.   Whisk together canola oil, sugar and eggs.
  4.    Fold in pumpkin puree and milk; mix thoroughly.
  5.   In separate large bowl, combine flours, oats, baking powder, baking soda,     salt, spices and mini-chocolate chips. 
  6.   Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stir just to combine.
  7.   Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the mixture evenly into    the muffin liners.
  8.   Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until toothpick or cake tester inserted into the     center of a muffin comes out clean.
  9.   Set tins on cooling rack for 5 min. before removing muffins to cool    completely.

Notes:

  • Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not canned pumpkin pie.
  • Check out the amazing health benefits of barley flour here.
  • Don’t have any  barley or whole wheat flour? Substitute with all-purpose flour.
  • Feel free to switch out the mini-chocolate chips with raisins or nuts.

Storage:

Can be stored in a covered container for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If the kids are home or company drops by, you likely won’t have to worry about that though…

Three-Grain, Berry-Amazing Muffins

/ Sandi Knight / Leave a comment

When strawberry and saskatoon season collide, your favourite muffins get a make-over! 

Three-Grain, Berry-Amazing Muffins

Muffins & Berries

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/2 cup barley flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup yogurt, plain
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 tbsp finely grated lemon rind
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, diced
  • 1/2 cup Saskatoon berries 
  • 1 tbsp flour

Directions:

  1.   Pre-heat oven to 375°F (190ºC)
  2.   Lightly grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with large paper liners.
  3.   Thoroughly mix oats, flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and                      cinnamon in a large bowl.
  4.   In separate bowl, whisk together egg, yogurt, brown sugar, canola oil and     lemon rind.
  5.   In small bowl, coat berries evenly with flour.
  6.   Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, stir just to combine. Gently  fold in berries.
  7.   Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, scoop the mixture evenly into    the muffin liners.
  8.   Sprinkle tops with oat or barley flakes.
  9.   Bake for 20 – 25 minutes, until toothpick or cake tester inserted into the     center of a muffin comes out clean. Muffins should be golden brown.
  10.   Set tins on cooling rack for 5 min. before removing muffins to cool        completely. Although, you may want to sample one while slightly warm…

Notes:

I love barley flour and have been substituting it for half of my all-purpose flour in all my baking since learning of its heart-healthy benefits.

Baking should be fun – don’t be afraid to get creative and use what you have on hand. Can’t find barley flour in your supermarket and have no whole wheat flour, just use all-purpose flour in its place. No plain yogurt?  Any berry flavour, lemon or vanilla works great too.  Orange rind can easily lemon rind.  The one cup of berries can be any combination of fresh or frozen you like – try raspberries or blueberries. Play with the flavours and create your own favourite version!

Storage:

Can be stored in a covered container for 2 to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. If the kids are home or company drops by, you likely won’t have to worry about that though…