Recipe of the Week: Baked Artichokes Stuffed with Red Quinoa

Check out this protein-packed vegetarian recipe!  Red quinoa shares the same nutrients and easy-to-prepare traits as its plain sister but adds extra color to these stuffed artichokes.

• 1 lemon, Juice of
• 4 large artichokes
• 1 cup red quinoa
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Fill a large bowl with water and lemon juice. Stir well. Cut stems from artichokes to sit flat on your work surface. Peel stems with a paring knife. Transfer artichokes and stems to bowl with lemon water. Working with one artichoke at a time, carefully use a serrated knife to cut off the top third, then use scissors to clip off and discard sharp leaf points, returning each artichoke to the lemon water as you finish. 

Fill a large pot with water to a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Cover and bring to a boil. Uncover pot and arrange trimmed artichokes, bottoms up, in a single layer. Add stems around artichokes. Cover pot, reduce heat to medium low and steam until tender, 20 to 40 minutes. Cooking time will vary greatly depending on the size of the artichokes. When the leaves pull out easily and the base can be pierced with a knife, they're ready. Drain well and chop the stems.

Meanwhile, rinse quinoa under cold running water and drain. Combine quinoa and 2 cups water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until quinoa is tender and all the water is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside to let cool slightly. Stir in Parmesan, mint, parsley and chopped artichoke stems.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Remove the center leaves from each artichoke and scoop out and discard the fuzzy choke. Place artichokes stem side down in a baking pan and stuff with quinoa mixture, spooning into center and in between leaves. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 370 calories (50 from fat), 6g total fat, 2g saturated fat, 10mg cholesterol,490mg sodium, 66g carbohydrates, (21 g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 21g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Bananas with Sweet Toppings

Grilled bananas?  Yes!  This crowd-pleasing dessert is easy to assemble both ahead of time (before a camping trip) or just before cooking. Let kids make their own by choosing toppings that suit their tastes. Substitute your favorite fruit for the strawberries or use honey instead of chocolate chips.

• 4 bananas
• 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate or carob chips
• 1/2 cup chopped strawberries or peaches
• 1/3 cup granola or graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Peheat grill to medium heat. Hold each banana in your hand, curved side up, and carefully halve it lengthwise through the top of the peel without cutting through the bottom side. Arrange each banana on a piece of foil.

Using your fingers, gently pry open each banana, making a space down the center for the toppings. Arrange chocolate chips, strawberries and granola down the center of each banana then top with marshmallows and walnuts. 

Fold foil around each banana, leaving the top open, to form a bowl that will protect it from direct heat. Arrange bananas on grill and cook until banana is tender and marshmallows and chocolate are melted and hot, about 10 minutes. Set aside to let cool slightly before serving.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: Serving size: 1 banana, 260 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 2g saturated fat,10mg sodium, 47g carbohydrates, (5 g dietary fiber, 30g sugar), 4g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Heirloom Tomato, Cucumber and Red Onion Salad

I am all about simple and easy.  This is a fantastic side or first-course salad, but it will transition easily to a main course with a scoop of fresh crabmeat or grilled shrimp. Choose tomatoes of different colors and sizes for best effect: yellow, green, purple or striped, and a mix of large and bite-size is ideal.

• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pound mixed heirloom tomatoes, thinly sliced into rounds or quartered if small
• 2 small cucumbers, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

Place onion slices in a small bowl and cover with cold water; let soak 10 minutes. Drain, return to the bowl, and soak again for 10 minutes. Drain well and pat dry.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add onion and cucumbers to the dressing and toss well. Arrange tomatoes on serving plates then evenly distribute onions, cucumbers and dressing. You can serve the salad immediately, or cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 80 calories (60 from fat), 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 5mg sodium, 6gcarbohydrates, (2 g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 1g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Homemade Black Bean Burgers

These irresistibly delicious and  easy-to-assemble burgers can be shaped ahead of time and cooked off when you're ready to eat.

• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 egg
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or granules
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive or canola oil
• 6 whole wheat hamburger buns
• 6 green leaf lettuce leaves
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Put beans in a large bowl and mash well with a fork. Add egg, yellow onion, bread crumbs, oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Mix well to combine then shape into 6 patties.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Arrange patties in a single layer (working in batches, if needed) and cook, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to buns, top with lettuce, tomatoes and red onions and serve.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 300 calories (50 from fat), 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol,410mg sodium, 51g carbohydrates, (10 g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 12g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Spicy Grilled Shrimp Kabobs

Here is a a super quick recipe, easy to make for a weeknight dinner, or take to a party.  The sauce is made in the food processor and also doubles as a marinade and a dressing. Removing the seeds from the jalapeño peppers should leave your dish with a pleasant heat; for a fiery version, keep the seeds in one of the peppers.

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, tough stems removed, divided
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Set 6 sprigs cilantro aside for garnish. Combine remaining cilantro, oil, jalapeños, lemon juice and salt in a food processor and process until finely chopped, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. If sauce is very thick, with the machine running, pour in water 1 tablespoon at a time until sauce is pourable.  

In a large bowl, toss together shrimp and half of the sauce. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.   

Prepare a grill for medium-high heat cooking. Thread shrimp onto metal skewers. (If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before assembling.) Grill, turning once, until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a platter, garnish with reserved cilantro and serve remaining sauce on the side.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 130 calories (60 from fat), 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 145mg cholesterol,770mg sodium, 2g carbohydrates, 16g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Minty Melon Salad

Super simple!! Inspired by the chile- and salt-sprinkled pineapple found in the fresh fruit stalls of Mexico, this melon salad is delightfully refreshing. Lime juice and chili powder enhance the sweetness of summer melon while fresh mint adds a cool finish.

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium ripe cantaloupe or honeydew melon, peeled, seeded and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped mint
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with chili powder then serve.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 60 calories (0 from fat), 200mg sodium, 14g carbohydrates, (1 g dietary fiber,11g sugar), 1g protein.

This recipe is courtesy of our Positive Power Partner!