Recipe: Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Edamame :: MMM (Must-Make-Monday)

June 18, 2012 by Laureen Fox | 14 Comments

I have been a collector of recipes for as long as I can remember but I never manage to find enough time to try all the recipes I collect and that was the reason my MMM (Must-Make-Monday) series was born. The idea is to force myself to choose at least one recipe from my Must-Make-List each week. I will post the results on my blog. Solid idea, or so I thought, but with my recipe collection growing faster than the speed of light, I could use a month of Mondays and still not get to half of the recipes in my collection(s). That’s the other thing, since I started this blog, my collection has become plural. It started with the Must-Make-Page on my site but I also have a Must-Make Board on Pinterest.

My MMM (Must-Make-Monday) series, is good in that it forces me to follow through and use recipes from my collection(s). After using a recipe, I check it off and add it to Made-This (TAB). You can view archive postings from my MMM (Must-Make-Monday) series, by clicking here.

To start things off this week, here are a few recipes, that I’ve come across recently. Categorized, but not listed in any particular order. These are recipes that I would love to try but haven’t gotten around to yet. They are to become the newest additions to my Must-Make-List.

Important *** I have not tagged these recipe links as Gluten, Grain, Sugar, Dairy, Egg or Nut Free, nor have I labelled them as Vegan or Vegetarian. Please review and confirm the recipe meets your dietary requirements before you begin.

Sweet:

Mini Cookies by Sweet & Healthy Living. One basic recipe with three variations. All grain free, dairy free, sweetened with date, vegan and low-calorie. Mmmmm…
Chocolate Coconut Cups by Smashed Peas and Carrots. A mini healthful gluten free version of a Mounds Bar.
Pineapple Coconut Macaroons by Traveling Spoon. Pineapple and coconut, a perfect combination.
Raspberry Angel Roll Cake Gluten Free by Gluten Free Canteen. I’ve always had a weakness for roll cakes. Doesn’t matter if they’re white, or chocolate, filled with ice cream, or frosting, or fruit jelly, love them all. Lisa’s Chocolate Rolled Angel Cake has been on my Must-Make List since Easter and now she has created this gluten free, whipped cream and fruit filled roll cake. Double yum!
Raspberry Angel Roll Cake Gluten Free by Gluten Free Canteen. I’ve always had a weakness for roll cakes. Doesn’t matter if they’re white, or chocolate, filled with ice cream, or frosting, or fruit jelly, love them all. Lisa’s Chocolate Rolled Angel Cake has been on my Must-Make List since Easter and now she has created this gluten free, whipped cream and fruit filled roll cake. Double yum!
Peppermint Patties Made With Love by This Chick Cooks. These look like just like little York Peppermint Patties. I like that this recipe only makes six patties.

Cheese Making:

DIY Paneer by Fiesta Farms. When I was a vegetarian, I used to buy Paneer and fry it up in a bit of butter. I had no idea it was so easy to make your own and you can flavour the cheese with herbs and spices.

Frozen:

Cool Freezer Treats by Sweet & Healthy Living. Little bite size frozen treats. Must try the carob banana bites with a sprinkle of coconut on top and the tahini pecan cups!

Beverage:

Ginger Turmeric Tea by Nourishing Foodways. A little fresh ginger, some turmeric and a spoonful of honey makes for a simple to prepare, invigorating, caffeine-free, health-promoting cup of tea.
Mojito Detox Smoothie Sugar Free by Brittany Angell’s Real Sustanenance. With lime, fresh mint, spinach and avocado, this sounds like one yummy smoothie.
Vanilla Lemonade by Simply Scratch. Lemonade made from a simple homemade vanilla bean and lemon syrup. Yes please!

Breakfast:

Grain Free Maple Cinnamon Granola by The Nerdy Farm Wife. Before going gluten free, I was a bit of a granola snob. The only granola I liked was Gourmet Granola from The Granola King. Commercially produced gluten free granola seems so dry. I think it’s time for me to try making my own.

Salad:

Berry Good Salads by Sweet & Healthy Living. Some yummy salads, including a Creamy Shredded Apple Fruit Salad for breakfast and a Raspberry Salad Creme dressing that looks amazing!
Indian Watermelon Lime Salad by Jeanette’s Healthy Living. A savory salad made with watermelon? This is something I’m going to have to try.
Breakfast Salad With Green Tahini Lime Dressing by Farmers Market Vegan. This salad looks delicious. I’m thinking it would be good not only for breakfast but for lunch and dinner too.

Savoury:

Homemade Buckwheat Soba Noodles Gluten Free by The Nourishing Gourmet. I’m not crazy about any of the buckwheat noodles I’ve tried. I bet these homemade noodles are soooo much better.

Miscellaneous:

Go Ahead Honey Its Gluten Free June 2012 hosted by Daniele of Against All Grain. The theme this month is Seasonal Salads – vegetable or fruit salads from your part of the world, using the produce that’s great now! The deadline to send in your recipe for Seasonal Salads is Saturday June 30th.
Kale: History, Uses, & Nutrients by Traditional Foods. For anyone wanting more information about Kale, this is a great article.
Baking 101 Almond Flour Basics by Urban Poser. This was a Pinterest find. Really good info about baking with almond flour, including where to buy it online and links to several of my favourite grain free bloggers.

To see a text listing of my gluten free recipes, click here

I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today. ~William Allen White

Here’s what’s been cooking in the Fox Kitchen lately…

I picked up some fresh green beans

I used them to make Spicy Green Beans With Homemade Soy-Free Teriyaki Sauce by The Tasty Alternative

They were the perfect accompaniment to our stir-fry and lettuce wraps on Friday night.

As you may have noticed, I’m head over heals in love with Quinoa Salads. I’ve made one just about every day this past week. This recipe with Quinoa and Buckwheat Groats is my current favourite. Based on a Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Cranberries recipe by Ricki at Diet, Dessert and Dogs. Not having all the ingredients, I had to make do with what I had.

Are you familiar with Ricki’s Diet, Dessert and Dogs site? Of course you are, isn’t everybody? I just love Ricki! I can depend on her for some fantastic recipes and my smile of the day

Now you might be wondering can I eat Buckwheat when I’m avoiding wheat gluten? Despite its name, Buckwheat is not a type of wheat but is a member of the herb family. There’s a little more information on my Substitutions Page. I put the Substitutions Page together as a single resource for gluten free flours. There you will find some info about 30 plus gluten free flours. I’ve included their weights, how to use them, store them and recommendations for substitutions.

Buckwheat is not the only ingredient in this salad that can cause confusion. Many people think quinoa is a grain. It is not a grain, it is the seed of a plant with edible leaves. It’s related to leafy vegetables like spinach, Swiss chard and beets. I think reason there is confusion, is because Quinoa is often used as a replacement for grains. It is sometimes referred to as a pseudo-grain.

Recipe: Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Edamame

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Summary: A healthy salad loaded with good for you ingredients. With a tantalizing contrast of flavours and textures, it will leave you eager for more.

Based on Quinoa Salad with Buckwheat and Cranberries by Ricki at Diet, Dessert and Dogs.

Ingredients

Salad:

1 1/2 Cup water
1/2 Cup quinoa, well rinsed
1/4 Cup buckwheat groats, or cereal
1/2 Cup edamame beans, shelled, I used frozen
1/4 Cup pecans, chopped
1/4 Cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp Pepita (pumpkin) seeds
1/4 Cup fresh basil, chopped

Dressing:

1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp flax or hemp oil, I used 369 oil
1 1/2-2 Tbsp agave nectar
1 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions

Pour water into a pan, set on medium heat, bring to a boil. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa. Add quinoa and buckwheat groats to boiling water. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add frozen edamame beans to the pan, no need to stir them in, they can just rest on top. Simmer for 5 more minutes, remove from heat, fluff with a fork, set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, add pecans, cranberries, Pepita seeds and fresh basil.
In a small bowl, mix dressing ingredients, pour mixture over ingredients in larger bowl.
Toss to blend. Add cooled quinoa mixture, stir with a fork until well mixed. Use fork to break down any clumps that may have formed.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Best served on a bed of salad greens.

Quick notes

To quickly cool the Quinoa mixture, transfer it to a bowl set in ice water.
Adding the edamame beans to the quinoa for the last 5 minutes allows them to cook slightly but still keep some firmness

Variations

Not a fan of buckwheat? You can leave it out, just increase the quinoa by an amount equal to the omitted buckwheat groats.
If allowed dairy, this salad is really nice with a little feta cheese crumbled on top.

Recipe by Laureen

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 15 minute(s)

Diet type: Vegan | Vegetarian

Diet tags: Gluten Free | Grain Free | Refined Sugar Free | Dairy Free | Egg Free

Number of servings (yield): 2 – 4

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