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I didn't prepare many holiday goodies this year but tried one i thought would be quasi-healthful. Maybe it was but what i can tell you for certain is that toasted quinoa is probably an acquired taste. The first time i made this recipe, i though i burned it, so i tried again. Nope, just that unusual taste, which isn't to say it didn't all get eaten. However, i will not make it again.

I share it here in case someone else feels that toasted quinoa usually tastes yummy & wants to try this. I hasten to add that we like quinoa in savory dishes.

Chocolate Bark with Caramelized Quinoa

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1/3 cup turbinado sugar
7 ounces dark (72% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add quinoa; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring constantly.

Add the sugar; cook, stirring constantly, an additional 6 minutes or until sugar is melted and amber colored. Transfer mixture to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; spread to a thin, even layer. Cool completely.

Place cooled mixture in a zip-top plastic bag; gently tap with a rolling pin to break apart any clusters. Reserve 1/3 cup mixture; set aside.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 20% power for 15 seconds; remove bowl from microwave, and stir. Repeat procedure about 4 or 5 times, micro-waving and stirring until most of chocolate has melted. Let stand 1 minute or until chocolate is thoroughly melted and smooth, stirring occasionally. Stir in quinoa mixture (except reserved 1/3 cup).

Pour chocolate-quinoa mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish lined with parchment paper. Spread to 1/16-inch thickness. Sprinkle with reserved 1/3 cup quinoa and sea salt. Gently press to adhere. Freeze 5 to 10 minutes to set. Break bark into 15 pieces (about 1 ounce each).

madrano wrote: "I didn't prepare many holiday goodies this year but tried one i thought would be quasi-healthful. Maybe it was but what i can tell you for certain is that toasted quinoa is probably an acquired tas..."

Deb, do you rinse the quinoa before cooking? I think it is recommended to do so.

I usually just toss it in a salad. If I use it as a side dish I will top with roasted veggies and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

I've never thought of quinoa with chocolate. Interesting. I love chocolate. At Christmas time my sister makes a chocolate bark for gifts. Basically, it's butter, sugar, chocolate and nuts. It's about a million calories. I had to tell her not to make one for me as I'm trying to eat healthier. Let's hope I can make this healthy eating resolution stick.

I still want to know why it's always something like brussels sprouts that are found to have amazing health benefits and not something like chocolate bark. :(

LOL! I couldn't agree more with that last sentence.

I didn't rinse the quinoa, thinking i knew how to cook it. I will look tomorrow, as the package is at my brother's house. That will be embarrassing!

For decades i have made an almond crunch wheel, which is delicious and easy. Most people like it but men seem to hover around it. So, i took it to my sister-in-law's home last week. My husband showed it to her husband, who gently took it from Dan & headed to his own bedroom stating, "I'm keeping this for me."!!! We saw NONE of it this year. Kinda funny, i must say.

Here is that recipe. Shall i promise to share no more sweets recipes for at least a month?

Almond Butter Crunch Wheel

From 17 magazine when i was a kid. I have roasted the almonds, no difference.

1 c. blanched, slivered almonds

½ c. butter

½ c. sugar

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup


Line the bottom & sides of a 8� or 9� cake or pie pan with foil (NOT waxed paper or plastic). Butter foil heavily. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients in a 10� skillet. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, until mixture turns golden, about 5-6 minutes.

Quickly (very!) spread candy into prepared pan. Cool 15 or so minutes or until firm. Remove candy by lifting the foil edges and peeling off the foil. Cool thoroughly. Present as a disk or break into pieces. Makes ¾ #

madrano wrote: "LOL! I couldn't agree more with that last sentence.

I didn't rinse the quinoa, thinking i knew how to cook it. I will look tomorrow, as the package is at my brother's house. That will be embarrass..."

"As you may or may not know, quinoa needs to be rinsed with cold water before cooking it. This simple process will help get rid of the bitter-tasting compound (saponin) that coats the tiny seeds; if you don't do it, it's going to taste wrong and you'll never want to use this ancient power food again in your diet."

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madrano wrote:. So, i took it to my sister-in-law's home last week. My husband showed it to her husband, who gently took it from Dan & headed to his own bedroom stating, "I'm keeping this for me."."

I can understand why ! Sounds delicious and not too hard to make but difficult to resist.

Alias Reader wrote: ""As you may or may not know, quinoa needs to be rinsed with cold water before cooking it. This simple process will help get rid of the bitter-tasting compound (saponin) that coats the tiny seeds; if you don't do it, it's going to taste wrong and you'll never want to use this ancient power food again in your diet...."

I've not done this when cooking quinoa with vegetables and by itself and didn't taste anything odd. But it seems this may well have been the issue with the bark. It would seem common courtesy to include that in quinoa recipes, the same way beans are rinsed, etc.

Thanks for the info. I have "check quinoa package" on my list of "to do" at my brother's house. :-)

Well, i looked at the quinoa package. It is Ancient Harvest brand and the front of the package states it is already "washed and rinsed". Nowhere else on the package does it mention to repeat it.

Of course that means nothing and could still be done without a problem. It turns out the problem my siblings had with the brittle was that it was just too hard on their teeth. Indeed, i was the only one who was complaining about the taste being hinky.

SO, i will not be making this again, as i mentioned, but mostly because if i can't feed my endeavors to my siblings, no one else will try it. LOL!

Meanwhile, i will be making this quinoa recipe.

Quinoa with Broccoli and Cheese
Good dish from Dan's Aunt Nell

Bring to a boil together ½ c. quinoa and 1 c. water; cover and reduce heat. Cook 10 minutes. Turn off heat & leave for 6 minutes more. Fluff.

¾ c. yogurt or sour cream
¼ c. mayo
1 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. curry powder
pinch of basil

Combine the above to make a sauce.
Cook 1 ½ c. broccoli, to al dente.
½ c. shredded cheddar

Arrange quinoa in 8x8 buttered baking dish. Top with broccoli. Spread the yogurt mixture over the top. Add the cheese. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes & til cheese melts.

I didn't realize you could bake sour cream or yogurt.

Do let us know how it turns out.

By the way, my niece let me borrow her air fryer. I haven't used it yet. The basket seems quite small. I'm wondering if just using the stove's oven wouldn't be quicker and yield the same results. I say quicker only because I wouldn't have to cook multiple batches. We have a electric non convection oven. I wish it were gas. But that's a whole other issue.

Does anyone have an air fryer? Are there any healthy recipes that you make?

I need low sodium and I prefer no oil. If oil is a must, just a tiny spray.

I've heard tofu in the air fryer is good. Though I don't want to marinate the tofu in high sodium sauces. Perhaps tempeh might work well.

I was going to make fresh cauliflower in it for tonight's dinner. But I didn't feel like making multiple batches. So I ended up just steaming it in the microwave.

I'll have to check out Mr. Google. :)

I never rinse quinoa. Most brands I've seen say its rinsed already.

Today I purchased firm tofu and also Tempeh.

I've made tofu before. I usually season and sauté. I then toss it over rice and veggies.

Does anyone else have a Healthy (low sodium) tofu recipe they like? I thought I might like it baked or in the air fryer for a healthier version.

Today I also picked up some plain tempeh. I've never made it before. Does anyone have a healthy low sodium recipe ?

Thanks !

Found this YouTube for Tempeh. Looks good !

HOW TO COOK TEMPEH & the secret to making it taste good + recipes!

--I substitute yogurt for sour cream quite often, both cooking and for cold dishes. Often i'll combine the two because i like the additional tang Greek yogurt offers. I've yet to have a failure, i'm glad to say.

--I know nothing about air fryers, other than what i've seen in commercials. The size of the appliance and need to make several batches would turn me off. That written, though, i believe most fried foods i've tried over the years take several batches so the fat doesn't get too cool to fry up the food. I do not fry foods because i have never been able to make them light enough to enjoy.

--I've not cooked Tempeh, so cannot help you there. The video is tempting but i should probably try it in a restaurant first. I'm not an adventurous cook when it comes to food i haven't tried elsewhere first.

--We have grilled tofu, as well as oven baked it. For us, it's the marinade/sauce which makes or breaks a tofu dish. And that, i suppose, is all about your own taste.

The following calls for soy sauce. We only purchase the low sodium version, which is certainly still salty tasting. Not many folks keep liquid smoke on hand but we are fans and i add bits to many dishes. Even for us, however, 1/2 tsp. is too much, so often we skip that ingredient altogether. I'd fool around with any marinade you try until it suits you.

Tofu Bites

1 (16 ounce) package extra firm tofu
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 dash hot sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 liquid smoke flavoring

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a non-stick baking sheet with oil. Slice tofu into 1/2-inch slices, and gently press excess water out of tofu. Cut sliced tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. In a bowl, stir together the soy sauce, maple syrup, ketchup, vinegar, and hot sauce. Stir in sesame seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, and liquid smoke. Gently stir tofu cubes into sauce. Cover, and marinate at least 5 minutes.
Place the tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn tofu, and bake until the tofu turns golden brown, about 15 minutes more.

Julie wrote: "I never rinse quinoa. Most brands I've seen say its rinsed already."

I'm glad you shared that, Julie. We usually have purchased quinoa in bulk, so had no other instructions. Since COVID, our bulk-offering stores pre-bag for customers and have no instructions, either.

Deb wrote: I do not fry foods because i have never been able to make them light enough to enjoy.
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Thanks for the recipe, Deb. Yes, marinade is what gives tofu flavor. Which is sort of good as it adapts easily to ones own tastes.

I haven't used the air fryer yet.

I agree. The size takes up too much real-estate.

The basket is so small, so having to do a bunch of batch cooking is a major turn off for me.

It's not a fryer. The name is sort of misleading. It's basically a tiny convection oven. So you don't have to use oil at all. That was the appeal for me.

I think I rather just use my Breville toaster oven for small items that I need to bake and the stoves oven for larger meals.

Maybe I'll change my mind when I use it. But I doubt it.

LOL--only use will tell, i suppose. Clearly i did not understand the concept of air fryer, even though it is in the name. Same with air popcorn maker, i have to see it to understand it. I hope you will be surprised in a positive way.

My brother just called me to ask what the bread i made at his house was--he loved it. Well, it just so happens i was researching it at that very moment, so i filled him in. The following is a "vintage" recipe from WWII, at a time when sugar was a real treat and saved for something special. Apparently this bread isn't considered special enough for sugar but it in no way needs it.

Another thought before i share. Vegans can use this by substituting 1 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 Tbsp water. The bread is dense and the loaf size particular. Mine ended up looking squat because i used a Pullman loaf pan. Next time i will omit the raisins but add some nuts. I'll also add some instant expresso with the water. As the water in my cooking didn't boil away, i didn't add the final 1/2 c. hot water but your results may differ, so i add that.

Date Nut Bread

1 cup water
1 cup dates
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour can also use a gluten-free flour blend
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup raisins
1 egg well beaten
½ cup hot water

Pour 1 cup water into a small pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir in dates, soda, and butter. Reduce heat, and simmer until dates are very soft, about 20 minutes. Use a fork to mash date mixture into a paste. It does not need to be perfectly smooth. Set aside to cool.

Combine flour, baking powder and raisins in a separate bowl.

When dates have cooled, stir in beaten egg and ½ cup hot water.
Add flour to date mixture and stir until combined.

Pour into well-greased 6.5� x 4� x 2� loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 45 � 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
A standard-sized loaf pan can also be used, but will create a flat loaf. Bake for 35 � 40 minutes.

Thanks, Deb. I've never made a bread that wasn't from a premade mix. Your recipe doesn't look too formidable for a novice like me. I'll have to give it a try.

By the way, I had no idea what a Pullman Loaf pan was. I had to ask Mr. Google.

As i mentioned it, i wondered if i should explain that pan. In this case i didn't use the lid, although i have, to good results. I purchased mine from Salvation Army. It's stunning to see sellers are asking $30 for one. Mine was $1.

Deb, does it need to be covered when baking? If so, can I use aluminum foil ?

My neighbor used to make these types of breads in coffee cans. Back when everything wasn't made of plastic. She grew up in the Depression when nothing was thrown out and you used the items you had.

No, i didn't cover mine. The Pullman was just the right sized pan. Actually, it wasn't exactly but given its density, i would rather have the squat slivers than a full loaf slice.

I've cooked a time or two with cans in the past. Indeed, i think it was for making a dark bread. It kinda reminds me of a product i used to see in the stores, B & M Brown Bread.


Researching this product, i see it was once popular in New England. Based on colonial recipes when food supplies were limited, it's a combination of rye flour, wheat flour and cornmeal. These breads are usually steamed, unlike what i made.

Yes, my neighbor used to make a sort of spice cake in the coffee can, if I recall correctly. I do recall it was delicious. I should ask her daughter if she still has the recipe.

I've purchased B&M beans but I've never seen the product you shared by them.

I asked my friend. Her mom made pumpkin bread in the coffee containers. :)

When i was looking for images of the bread to share there was one with beans. I looked again and couldn't find a jpg which fit. However, i did see that old ad from the '40s featuring both. Bon Appétit!

I love seeing old ads.

I asked my friend and the pumpkin bread in the coffee can recipe apparently is from the actor Dom Deluise's cookbook. Eat This ... It'll Make You Feel Better by Dom Deluise

Growing up, we lived in his mother's apartment building in Brooklyn.

Neat, Alias. He always seemed like a nice person, so i hope his mom was, too.

Pumpkin bread in a can sounds good. When searching for some of those B&M bread cans, i saw a number of coffee cans being used for breads. When i made an imitation B&M, i used an empty vegetable can, which is what the recipe called for. They were probably really trying to replicate what you could purchase at the store, i suppose.

I made Tempeh Bacon the other day and I love it !



There are a lot of various recipes online. I had to tweak a few
to fit the ingredients I had on hand.

I made a Tempeh, avocado, red onion, lettuce and tomato sandwich. I used Dave's Killer bread- 21 grains and seeds toasted.


With the leftovers I may put it in an omelet or us it in a stir fry.
Since I have the stir fry ingredients on hand that is probably what I will do with the leftover "bacon". (zucchini, onion & portobello mushrooms, red pepper) over brown rice.

I used the plain 3 grain LifeLight brand.


A healthy bonus is that a serving has 19 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber. No sodium and only 1 gram saturated fat.

Here is what I did.
I sliced it into very thin strips (that's key) then marinated it for about 30 minutes in this:
garlic powder
onion powder
black pepper
reduced sodium soy sauce
maple syrup
Paprika

It was too hot for the oven, so I pan fried it in a bit of olive oil.

Here is just one of many recipes for tempeh bacon.


* note LiteLife does sell tempeh bacon. However, I preferred to season my own so I could control the sodium.

My sister has been experimenting with tempeh. Her last attempt was bacon, which failed her. I'm passing this recipe and link on to her. Thanks for sharing this, Alias.

madrano wrote: "My sister has been experimenting with tempeh. Her last attempt was bacon, which failed her. I'm passing this recipe and link on to her. Thanks for sharing this, Alias."

A friend of mine also did mushroom "bacon". It was quite good. I can't seem to locate her recipe. I know she used a particular type of mushroom to get the bacon taste.

I hadn't heard of this, so your comment had me searching the 'net & i found a good-sounding recipe using Shiitake. Here's the page. It sounds quite simple. I liked that the blogger added comments about other mushrooms & how they might taste.

It may have been shitake. I have to ask her. I know it was a mushroom I don't usually purchase. She has given me this recipe a few times and I can't seem to find it on my computer. :(

When you wrote about it, i was thinking portobello, given their size. The Shiitake i've seen here aren't very large, so i never would have thought of it as bacon.

I asked my friend and it's shiitake.

Here is the recipe.

So if i understand the recipes i've seen for this, the mushroom itself holds the bacon taste once cooked. Neat.

My daughter is flying here for a few days, working remotely Thursday, then free until her return Sunday. She likes healthy-ish appetizers, so i plan on making our latest favorite. As a note, i nuke the sweet 'tater, rather than heat up the oven.

Sweet Potato & Peanut Butter Hummus

1 large or 2 small (12ounces) sweet potatoes
1 (14-ounce) can chickpeas,rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of one lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons olive oil or green peanut oil
4 to 5 tablespoons water 

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the sweet potato (or potatoes) on a baking sheet and bake until completely soft, 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size. As soon as the potato is cool enough to handle, pull off the skin; it should be very easy to do this with your fingers. Cool the potato flesh completely.

Place the sweet potato, chickpeas, peanut butter, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process a few seconds to break things up. Add the spices, salt, and lemon juice and turn the machine on. Drizzle in the olive oil, and then add the water a tablespoon at a time, until the hummus is smooth and combined. Makes 1 ½ cups.

This went quickly when i served it last summer.

madrano wrote: " Peanut Butter Hummus..."

I've never heard of peanut butter hummus. Sounds good.

I also microwave my "baked" potatoes.

This time my brother felt he could taste the peanut butter more than last time. To me it was the same. It won over my daughter & sister, so i was pleased.

We nuke our potatoes most often, as well. It's convenient and fast. I suspect restaurants are doing this more & more often, too, which is sad. There's something delightful in a slowly baked potato, imo.

In cooler weather, I sometimes start the potato in the microwave and finish it in the oven. It does taste different in the oven to me.

Sometimes I also use my microwave steamer and steam/baked potatoes. It makes the potato less dry.

The microwave steamer is also how I make most of my veggies.

Same here for the veggies. It's easier to do & clean up.

I was surprised this weekend, after i nuked the sweet 'tater. I left it on the counter to cool and by the time i needed it, it was in a pool of its own juices. I wasn't prepared for that, as i usually use them while still fairly hot. Lesson Learned.

This looks easy to tweak if needed. Saw this on FB

Vegan Bourguignon uses mushrooms and veggies

What a delicious sounding dish! Thanks! In addition to a good dish, it’s a good one for additions and combining items.

When we were in Washington, as you may recall, we had COVID. As a result we didn’t get to see my husband’s brother and wife. Lucky us, they are willing to drive here to Portland to visit & have chosen Thanksgiving. They don’t eat most grains, starchy vegetables or beef, due to health issues. I’m not a fan of turkey, certainly not without the fixin’s. AND we can’t have many leftovers because we decamp two days later. We are thinking salmon and veggies. Not thrilling but the talking will be the focus anyway.

Salmon and veggies sounds good to me. It's actually what I had for dinner tonight. Salmon, steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato.

Coincidence abounds!

I'm making this, this afternoon. I had to use a glass dish since I don't have an oven safe skillet. Hopefully it turns out good. The recipe sounds delicious.

Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding

Ingredients
5 tablespoons butter, divided
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brandy or unsweetened apple juice
3 cups refrigerated unsweetened vanilla almond milk
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 cups cubed day-old bread
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add apples and 1/4 cup sugar. Cook and stir until apples are golden brown and soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in cinnamon. Remove from heat. Stir in brandy; cook over medium heat until liquid is syrupy, 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. In a large bowl, whisk milk, eggs, vanilla and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until blended. Gently stir in bread; let stand until bread is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in apple mixture and walnuts.
3. Add 1 tablespoon remaining butter to skillet; place in oven to heat skillet. Carefully remove hot skillet from oven once butter has melted.
4. Add bread mixture. Melt remaining 2 tablespoon butter; drizzle over top. Bake until puffed, golden and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean, 50-55 minutes. Serve warm.

My gosh, this sounds good. I headed straight for one of my Granny Smith apples and could smell your dish as i consumed it. Yum! You will feast tonight!

That sounds amazing, Kim.

It turned out pretty good. We tried some after dinner. I think I'm going to get some caramel sauce to go on it and maybe some vanilla ice cream, too.

~*Kim*~ wrote: "It turned out pretty good. We tried some after dinner. I think I'm going to get some caramel sauce to go on it and maybe some vanilla ice cream, too."

You're killing me !!! I could so go for that right now.

Trader Joe's caramel sauce warmed up and Haagen dazs vanilla on the Apple-Walnut Bread Pudding.

You people are temptingly cruel!