Smoked Paprika Grilled Chicken Quinoa Bowl

I've walked my neighborhood nearly everyday for the last 15 years. Weaving up and down the many streets that make up my neighborhood. I've shared hellos and good mornings with neighbors I don't know by name, although I feel like I do, because the recognition is familiar and immediate, despite not having moved beyond simple courtesies. 
I walked every day during each of my pregnancies. An elderly neighbor watched me transform through her kitchen window, from a young woman into a mother as my belly grew and my life morphed into strollers, diapers and endless responsibilities. Always greeting me with a warm friendly smile and conversation as I passed her house. She still asks how old my kids are now when i spy her in the window.  
I witnessed a neighbor's house burn down and agonized for them as I imagined them losing all their photos and memories. A lifetime. I also quietly celebrated as they rebuilt their house into a gorgeous expanse of a home, like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, ready to live again.  
I've watched as neighbors' houses get sold and new families move in. 
I've watched elderly neighbors' homes go up for sale when they pass on. Their children left to pick through the memories of their childhood and their parent's lifetime... It;s part of life. 
 

Last week, I noticed crowded streets parked with unfamilar cars and estate sale signs littering the lawn of a corner house. I was sad when I realized one of my elderly neighbors, a woman, had passed on. I never knew her personally but rather I noticed her throughout my living in our little neighborhood. She was the elderly woman who loved to garden her front yard. Not all that notable on the face of it, but this woman would garden with her walker. Nothing could stop this woman from gardening, not even old age or not being able to walk unassisted. I admired this woman so much. She reminded me of my Danish grandmother who after double hip replacement surgery was up on a ladder painting the eaves of her home, by herself. This neighbor, like my grandmother, was unstoppable.  As I watched her children directing what was for sale and tending to the crowd,  I was sad knowing she was gone. A part of me wished I knew her beyond the window of my car so that it wouldn't be so strange for me to mourn the death of a woman I never knew. Rest in Peace Gardening Grandma. 
 
I guess I'm feeling a bit aware of how short life is and how meaningful interactions are even with strangers. Take care of yourself and always be kind to those you meet. Also...Live. Love. Laugh. And eat good food!   xo

(Thinking of you Daddy! Happy birthday!) 

Smoked Paprika Grilled Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Serves 4 

Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette and Marinade
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely 
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp honey
salt and pepper (to taste)

2 Chicken Breasts
1 avocado, sliced
4 cups baby spinach

Prepare vinaigrette and set aside half for the salad. Use the other half to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes while the vegetables roast. Grill chicken and slice.

Roasted Veggies
1 yellow onion, quartered and separated
1 small red bell pepper, sliced
1 small orange bell pepper, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
broccoli stems, sliced
olive oil, salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Prepare vegetables and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast in a 450 degree oven for 30-45 minutes. Time will vary depending on thickness of veggies. Keep warm and set aside.

Garlic and Cilantro Quinoa
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken stock or water
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper (to taste)
 Add olive oil and chopped onions to medium saucepan and cook until onions are soft but not browned. Add quinoa and chicken stock. Add garlic and cook according to package directions. salt and pepper to taste and add chopped cilantro before serving.


Assemble bowl. Add spinach, quinoa, roasted vegetables, chicken and avocado and drizzle with Smoked Paprika Vinagrette. Enjoy!

Other recipes to try:

Red Quinoa Veggie Spring Rolls

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu w/Quinoa

Quinoa with Balsamic Mushrooms

Summer Corn and Red Quinoa Salad

This is one of those accidental throw together salads that I made last summer that turned into something really refreshing and summer wonderful.  I am a huge fan of Greek flavors...cucumbers, feta cheese, roasted red and Greek peppers...what's not to love, right? The brightness of the lemon zest really makes these ingredients sing and makes for a nice change of pace from your typical vinaigrette pasta salad. It goes very well with BBQ chicken, ribs, sandwiches, and even as a topper to your favorite mixed greens. 

Feel free to substitute with orzo pasta or another small pasta if you don't like quinoa. I like using quinoa because the small grains hold the dressing well and packs flavor in every bite, plus you get the added protein. Also if you are not a fan of pepperoncini substitute with green olives.  I used red quinoa for contrast in the photos so feel free to use your favorite. Happy Summer Days!  

Summer Corn and Red Quinoa Salad

Serves 8

1 cup quinoa, rinsed, prepared and cooled
1 lb corn frozen kernels or 3 cups of fresh yellow corn
3 Persian cucumbers, diced
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 cup roasted red bell pepper, diced
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled
pepperoncini, finely minced
generous amount of zest of 1 lemon

Greek Vinaigrette

1/2 cup olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic, minced 
1 T Dijon mustard
Juice and zest of 1 lemon 
1 t. oregano
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. I used chicken broth but you can substitute with water or vegetable broth. 
Prepare vegetables. I used frozen corn to add to the hot quinoa to quicken the cooling process, but you can use corn cut from the cob once the quinoa is cooled. Add veggies, cheese and dressing and mix. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight. Add additional dressing if needed. 

Other summer recipes to try:

Quinoa Spring Rolls

Pineapple Chicken

Corn, Tomato and Basil Salad

 

Quinoa with Balsamic Mushrooms, Onions and Pine Nuts

This is one of those dishes I made one day on the fly with what I had on hand and it turned out super delicious. I love quinoa, it is one of my new favorite foods, but for what ever reason I don't make it that often. Maybe it's because my kids are becoming quite picky and I try not to introduce too many of my creations to them too often. I still make spaghetti, chicken, meatloaf and tacos and all the kid-friendly meals each week to ensure they are fed and all. But sometimes, I want to eat what I like and I make it for all of us and that includes the kids. (All I ask is that they try it before they judge it. Is that too much to ask?) I made this dish one afternoon while they were at school and when I brought them home, my oldest son said as we walked through the door, "I want to eat whatever that smell is." I was so happy he liked the smell of it, but I knew...once he got a look at the mushrooms and all that brown stuff my child would not be eating any of this great smelling and tasting side dish. As expected, he was horrified that this brown, mushroom-laden dish could possibly smell so good, he snubbed it and unhappily walked away. I tried to get him to taste it, but it was no use. In this case, the book cover was not helping with the great story inside. sigh* So back to the drawing board with my kiddos, but for those brave adults who want a super flavorful side dish, this is your dish. The earthiness of the mushrooms and thyme, coupled with the sweetness of the balsamic vinegar, quinoa and the onions make for a perfect fall side. I even topped my salad with it the next day and it was delicious. Enjoy!

Quinoa with Balsamic Mushrooms, Onions and Pine Nuts
Serves 6

1 cup dry Quinoa
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 t. dried thyme
2 packages baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 small yellow onion, chopped (~1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 T olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup pine nuts
fresh thyme leaves, garnish

Place quinoa, chicken broth and dried thyme in a medium saucepan, cover and cook according to package directions. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare your vegetables. In a large saute pan on medium high heat, add onion, mushrooms, garlic, and olive oil and lightly saute the vegetables for about 2 minutes. 

   

After the two minutes, add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and continue to saute the mushrooms and onions until they are soft and all the moisture released from the mushrooms has evaporated about 5-8 minutes longer.

Add the pine nuts to the pan and then transfer the mushrooms mixture into the prepared quinoa and mix until, evenly combined. Top with fresh thyme and additional pine nuts. Serve.

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Quinoa

What can I say about this dish? Oh...just that this dish was utterly amazing! My husband even loved it. This is the final dish of my three-part tofu excursion and this by far can be categorized as 'saved the best for last'. I am not vegetarian or vegan, but I love veggies and I also love tofu and this dish alone has to be my new favorite way to eat tofu. 
The flavors were so delicious and fresh and like nothing I'd ever tasted. The  extra firm tofu was dry fried and then caramelized with a sweet lime glaze. It was to die for! The quinoa also had lime and a pinch of cinnamon that complemented the sweet lime tofu perfectly. Then, the roasted Baby Bok Choy...pure heaven on a plate. But, don't take my word for it...well maybe you should in this case, but definitely try this super flavorful and wonderful dish. You will be amazed and happy you did.

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu with Quinoa (slightly adapted recipe from Vegan Yum Yum)
Serves 4

1 block tofu, extra firm

3 small baby Bok Choy, halved

Sweet Chili Lime Sauce
6 T sugar
6 T soy sauce
3 1/2 T fresh lime juice
zest of one lime
1 t red chili flakes (or 1-2 fresh hot chilies, minced)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T sesame oil (I added this ingredient)
1/2 t salt
8 mint leaves (I used some lemon basil leaves from my garden)

Quinoa
1 cup pre-rinsed Quinoa
zest of half a lime
pinch of cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1 3/4 cup chicken broth + 1/4 cup water

Prepare Quinoa:
Put all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat quinoa until water begins to boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium and continue to boil for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off heat and let sit covered for another 10 minutes to finish cooking. Fluff with fork when ready to serve.

Prepare Baby Bok Choy:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut washed baby bok choy in half and place in a roasting pan. Lightly brush bok choy with garlic infused olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast for about 15 minutes. 

Prepare Tofu: 
Drain tofu and cut tofu block into 1/2 inch thick slices. Now you will have rectangular slices that you'll cut into two squares by cutting each rectangle in half width-wise. Further cut the squares into small triangles by cutting each square diagonally. Place tofu triangles in a dry non-stick skillet.

Dry fry tofu on medium heat. Pressing down on tofu with a spatula, releases liquid. Fry until tofu is golden and turn over to brown other side. Turn off heat and set tofu aside until ready to serve.







Prepare Sweet Chili Lime Sauce by whisking all ingredients together in a small bowl. 

Bring the skillet with browned tofu back up to temperature. Turn on high heat to heat tofu thoroughly and heat the pan. Add the sweet chili lime sauce to the hot pan, stirring to coat the tofu. Allow the sauce to bubble and the sugar to glaze the tofu. Turn off heat to make sure you don't scorch the sauce but allow it to continue to heat and reduce in the still hot pan. Serve over a bed of quinoa and a side of baby bok choy. Garnish with sesame seeds and lemon basil or mint leaves.