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Quinoa Balls with Lettuce, Apples and Carrots | Drizzled with Balsamic Glaze

My brain has been overflowing lately with recipe ideas. I started jotting them down in a notebook that I carry with me everywhere and it seems to be helping. My perpetual problem however, is the lack of productive hours in a day in which to make these recipes come to life. If the body didn’t need sleep, I’d be GOLDEN. But alas it absolutely DOES need sleep and I don’t buy into the YOLO (you only live once) and ISWID (I’ll sleep when I die) acronyms the “kids” are using these days. So, unless I invent some cool way to be productive with no sleep at all, I’ll have to simply keep my eye on my 2013 goal.

BE EFFICIENT!

As I discovered at the start of 2013, I cannot simplify – it is not in my DNA and it just doesn’t feel RIGHT. There is only one life we live and I want to live mine to the fullest and be as happy as I can be; which includes learning as much as I can, sleeping as much as I need to, and experiencing as much as I can. So, in my pursuit of a full and productive life I strive to be more efficient! One of the ways I’ve learned to do this, is to tuck recipes away in the DRAFTS section of my blog so I can pull them out of my back pocket when those pesky too-full days (or weeks) pounce on me! So without further ado, here is an oldie but goodie from the Zucchini Runner draft vault.

Added some diced apples

Quinoa Balls with Lettuce, Apples and Carrots drizzled with Homemade Balsamic Glaze

3/4 c. dried, rinsed quinoa
1 1/2 c. water
1 medium onion, chopped into small pieces
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 medium tomato, diced small
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Chopped fresh thyme to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp. almond meal
2 tbsp. ground flax meal + 6 tbsp water (flax egg)
1/3 c. fresh parsley, chopped

Balsamic Glaze (optional)
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350°F

Follow your package instructions for cooking the quinoa. (Typically you combine both the water and quinoa in a pot, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and cover; cooking for 12-14 minutes. Unlike rice, you can remove the lid and check on the moisture level during cooking.) Combine the flax meal and water in a small dish and set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, add a little water and the chopped onions. Cook until the onions become translucent. Add garlic and toss to combine. Add diced tomato, tomato paste, salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring once or twice. It may be necessary to turn the heat down to low as well.

Place the cooked quinoa in a large bowl, and pour the tomato mixture on top. Stir well to combine. Sprinkle almond meal over mixture and pour flax egg on top. Stir again. Lastly add fresh chopped parsley and gently toss to incorporate.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, to avoid using oil and to prevent quinoa balls from sticking. Scoop out the mixture using a cookie scoop or large spoon, and make approximately 24 balls. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the balls begin to firm up and become golden brown on the edges.

Serve over a bed of your favorite greens – fresh or steamed will work! I topped mine with fresh cut carrots and a diced apple. I also drizzled with some balsamic glaze. (You can quickly make your own glaze by heating 1 cup of balsamic vinegar in a saucepan with 2 tbsp. maple syrup. Cook on medium heat until the liquid starts to thicken, but remove before it gets too thick, as it will continue to thicken when removed from the heat. It should take less than 5 minutes. Use immediately on this recipe and store the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for future use. Lasts for about a month.)

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Spicy Seitan

This spicy seitan recipe was a dream come true for Mr. Zucchini Runner and I, when I made the first batch. It is an excellent substitute for meat because of it’s texture and I like that it is not just a lump of tofu either. It is bursting with flavor and loaded with protein. I originally found the recipe on Vegan Dad’s website and then started creating my own variations shortly after! Making a spicy seitan to add to chili seemed to make perfect sense, as well as a version that didn’t have any fennel or sausage-like spices!

spicy seitan

The one drawback to seitan, is that it is NOT celiac or gluten-sensitive friendly. It is almost entirely gluten – hence the name “vital wheat gluten” as the primary ingredient. We have been trying to reduce the amount of gluten in our diets, treating it how we treat desserts – in moderation – so I don’t make this often. Luckily it freezes very well and makes a good size loaf.

Another fun fact about this recipe? It is featured along with my Vegan Chili on My Family Recipe Rocks! It works great as a replacement to deli slices, and you can switch up the spices to create whatever flavor you want, since vital wheat gluten doesn’t really have a strong flavor alone.

Spicy Seitan
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Spicy Seitan

Ingredients

1 - 15 oz. can white beans (rinsed and drained)

2 c. water

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. chili powder

2 3/4 c. vital wheat gluten

Instructions

    1. Get a large steamer heated. I use a large stock pot filled with 1" water and place a steaming pot (with holes), inside of it. You will also need to preheat your oven to 350° F, but you can do that in the last 10 minutes of steaming.

    2. Combine all of the above ingredients in a blender with the exception of the vital wheat gluten, and process until the beans are tiny, tiny bits.

    3. Measure the vital wheat gluten into a large bowl and pour the blender contents over the vital wheat gluten and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula immediately. The gluten will be very sticky and start to gel together, so you may need to finish it up with your hands. You want a dough ball essentially, so mix it really well!

    4. Shape the dough into an oblong cylinder the best you can and wrap in aluminum foil tightly, ensuring you seal the ends and seam very well. The gluten will expand and the tighter the foil is, the firmer the seitan will be. If you want a softer texture, you can wrap it loosely, but still seal all the openings well.

    5. Steam for 30 minutes. (Once your steamer is producing steam, you can turn the heat to low.)

    6. After 30 minutes of cooking, use oven mits to get the loaf out of the steamer. Be very careful!!

    7. Place loaf directly on oven rack of preheated oven and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes.

    8. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes, with foil still in tact.

    9. Once it has cooled, you can carefully remove the foil and see your loaf of seitan! It can be sliced for sandwiches as a lunch "meat" or you can refrigerate it overnight and then blend it in a food processor to use in place of ground beef or turkey. I sometimes use it in my homemade vegan chili.

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Spicy Seitan Slideshow

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Looking for my other recipes featured on My Family Recipe Rocks?

 Have you ever tried or made seitan?