Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa

Quinoa is a protein-packed grain. It really easy to cook and tastes great with pretty much anything. I took this with me for lunch a lot this past year.

Ingredients:
* 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* 1 cup quinoa (uncooked)
* 1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 2 medium tomatoes, diced
* 4 scallions, chopped
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Quinoa usually comes in a box or a bag. Just read the cooking instructions.

Add cooked quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.

Apple Yogurt Pancakes

"Green Apples" Paul Cézanne

I eat these at least once a week. I'm totally in love with them. The recipe is so simple and there's actually some nutritional benefit! I have even begun mixing it up with strawberries instead of apples and vanilla instead of cinnamon. Yum!

INGREDIENTS

* 2 eggs
* 1 2/3 cups milk
* 1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil
* 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3 apples - peeled, cored and shredded (cheese grater)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, milk, yogurt and oil until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, stir into the milk mixture until smooth. Fold in chopped apple.
2. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each cake. Cook until bubbles form in the cakes and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook the other side. Serve warm with syrup or jam.

Mom's Pie Crust

Directions

Melt 1 Tblsp. butter in one cup measuring cup

Fill up to the 2/3 mark with canola oil

Fill to the 1 cup mark with water

In bowl mix 2 cups flour with 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt

Add the contents of the measuring cup

Roll out dough between 2 pieces of wax paper, invert into pie shell

Pink Princess Delight Pie

I call this my Pink Princess Delight pie because your average six year old girl would be totally in love with it. I was mostly just playing around and I've since tweaked the recipe so the filling solidifies better. At the time I thought the apples added something but now I think they may not be necessary. It's up to personal taste, I guess.

Ingredients:

* Mom's pie dough
* 3 apples peeled and sliced
* 1 can light coconut milk
* 1 tablespoon coconut extract
* 1/2 cup sweetened shaved coconut
* 1 1/2 cup frozen raspberries, thawed and mashed
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 cup corn starch
* 1/4 water

Directions:

Prepare pie crust (see recipe). Arrange apple slices in a decorative manor on bottom of pie crust (unlike the above picture). In a saucepan mix together coconut extract, raspberries, sugar, vanilla, water, and corn starch. Turn on high heat and whisk until bubbling. Remove from heat and continue stirring until bubbles settle and mixture is syrupy. Pour packet of gelatin over coconut milk and let sit for 1 minute. Mix coconut milk and raspberry mixture together, pour over apples into crust. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, cover with foil and continue baking at 350 degrees for another 40 minutes. Remove from oven and place on towel in freezer. Let sit for 2 hours. Remove to fridge. Serve when filling has solidified.