I was feeling fruity in the kitchen last night, so I decided to make a fruit themed dinner and dessert, starting with..
Pumpkin Coconut Quinoa w/ Apricot Orange Tofu ( Quinoa adapted from Mama Pea's Coconut Caribbean Quinoa)
Ingredients:
Quinoa:
1 t.Smart Balance buttery spread
1 T. minced ginger
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. lime juice
1 cup quinoa
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup orange muscat champagne vinegar (or OJ, mango, pineapple juice)
1/4 cup pumpkin butter
1 TBSP maple syrup
1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/3 c. water
1/2 t. salt
1 t. sugar
Toppings: chopped pecans, raisins, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds
Directions:
1. In a medium saucepan, saute garlic and ginger in buttery spread on medium heat for ~1 minute.
2. Add coconut milk, orange champagne vinegar (or orange juice), pumpkin butter, pumpkin pie spice, maple syrup, water, salt, sugar, and lime juice.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes (or until liquid is gone).
4. Remove from heat, let cool and top with pecans, coconut, raisins, seeds, and... .
Apricot Orange Tofu:
Ingredients:
1 block organic firm tofu, cubed
1/4 cup orange muscat champagne vinegar
2 TBSP Apricot preserves (I used sugar free)
2 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 TBSP garlic aioli mustard
Pinch chili powder
Directions:
1. Drain and press tofu until dry. Cut into cubes (I used NaSoya's cubed firm tofu) and place in a bowl/dish.
2. Whisk champagne vinegar (or OJ/juice), apricot preserves (or peach, pumpkin, etc), nutritional yeast, mustard, and chili powder in a small bowl.
3. Pour mix over tofu and let marinate for 20 mins-1 hr.
4. Grease a medium baking pan, toss tofu into the pan w/ sauce and saute/stir for ~10 mins. I then strained the liquid into the sink and returned the tofu to the pan, letting it brown for another 2-3 mins. Cook based on the texture you prefer.
5. Serve over quinoa, or as a side.
Anddd for dessert:
PB+ Banana Chocolate Chip Flax Cookies (Adapted from Fitnessista's Almond Butter Choc Chip Cookies)
Ingredients:
Dry:
2 cups spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans-optional)
1/8 cup flaxseed (optional)
2 TBSP ground flaxseed (optional)
Wet:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla stevia (or vanilla extract)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
1/2 banana, mashed
3/4 cup maple syrup
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine wet ingredients in one bowl, and dry ingredients in another (minus choc chips, pecans, and flax). 3. Pour wet into dry and stir to combine.
4. Fold in choc chips, pecans, and flax.
5. Form cookie-shaped balls of dough on a non-stick baking pan (or line a pan w/foil).
6. Bake at 350 for 13-14 mins.
These cookies were very cake-like- they would be good in muffin or cake form as well!
Mmm banana chunks and chocolate ;-)
I did Level 2 of Jillian Michael's Shred it W/Weights last night and lets just say holy crap! I was really impressed with the workout, it was really unique and I'm dying to get a kettlebell to do all the moves the right way. (Santa can you hear me?).
Happy Hump Day!
Allie