Taco Night, Pesto with Quinoa and Salmon

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Yummy brain food and the best way to use up leftovers.

GREEN QUINOA BOWL

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 1

This bowl is the best way to use up leftovers. Take all the bits and pieces from leftover meals, like your roasted broccoli or cauliflower, pesto and cooked quinoa, toss it together and lunch is served.

INGREDIENTS

Quinoa and veggies

  • 3/4 cup cooked quinoa
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup raw or cooked veggies, chopped small (cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber, tomatoes, scallions)
  • 2 tablespoons toasted walnuts (about 2 walnuts crumbled)

Pesto

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed and moisture squeezed out) baby spinach
  • ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted (toasted pumpkin seeds for nut allergies)
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • Kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Combine cooked quinoa with pesto and mix to coat quinoa well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Divide quinoa among bowls. Top with veggies and walnuts.

Quinoa

  1. cups quinoa, raw, rinsed well
  2. Place quinoa in medium saucepan with 4 cups of water. Simmer, partially covered until water level is even with quinoa (about 15 minutes). Cover completely and remove from heat. Allow to steam for 15 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Pesto

  1. Pulse spinach, evoo, garlic, walnuts and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until a thick, coarse paste, if needed add water to help process. Season with salt and pepper.

SPINACH PESTO, WHOLE WHEAT PASTA AND SALMON

This meal is pure brain food with tons of Omega-3’s from the walnuts and the salmon. Putting spinach in the pesto will ensure everyone eats it.

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Servings: 4

Notes: Start by bringing water to a boil for pasta and make the pesto while pasta is cooking. At the same time prep veggies and salmon and start cooking them in a separate pan.

This recipe will use half the pesto, reserve the other half for other recipes, like my Pesto Quinoa Lunch Bowl.

For Vegetarians: add cauliflower in place of salmon.

INGREDIENTS

Pesto (Makes 1 cup)

  • 1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed and moisture squeezed out) baby spinach
  • ½ cup flat leaf parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, toasted (toasted pumpkin seeds for nut allergies)
  • Juice from ½ lemon
  • Kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper

Salmon

  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
  • 1 small onion, sliced
  • 2 zucchini, sliced thinly
  • 1 pound salmon filet, skinned and boned, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
  • 1/2 pound whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions

 

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Prepare pesto: Pulse spinach, evoo, garlic, walnuts and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until a thick, coarse paste, if needed add water to help process. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve half of pesto for other recipes, like my Pesto Quinoa Lunch Bowl.
  2. Heat a large sauté pan, lightly coated with evoo, over medium-high heat.
  3. Saute onion until golden and caramelized, about 8 minutes.
  4. Add zucchini and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until zucchini is lightly golden brown. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  5. Add salmon and lemon juice and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes until salmon is medium-rare (the salmon will continue to cook while sitting).
  6. Add tomatoes and stir to combine, turn off heat, but continue to mix for 2 more minutes. .
  7. Toss pasta with salmon mixture and half of pesto right in the pan or serve everything separate and spoon pesto over top.

TACO NIGHT

Tacos are fun for the whole family. Season your filling with modern and healthy ingredients. Most taco seasonings have way too much salt and some have chemicals (we’re talking to you taco spice envelope). We like a good quality chili powder (with just cumin and dried chilies) or chipotle powder (ground and dried smoked chilies-YUM!)

Prep notes: While the peppers and onions are cooking, prep the cabbage. While the mixture is simmering prep the tomatoes and avocado and toast the tortillas just before serving.

Leftover Tip: Turn leftovers into Taquitos that you can freeze. Place tortillas on a large baking sheet in a 350° for 2 minutes just to soften tortillas. Remove from oven, fill with beef mixture, roll up into a cylinder. Spray with cooking spray if desired and put back in the oven until the outside is golden brown. Serve with avocado puree to dip taquitos.

Vegetarian option: Use grated cauliflower in place of ground chicken

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

Tacos

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
  • 1 medium red onion, sliced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound ground chicken or turkey
  • 2-3 teaspoons chili powder or chipotle chili powder
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 12 soft corn tortillas (flour tortillas have unnecessary fat)

Suggested Toppings

  • 1 tomato, chopped with a squeeze of lime juice and a dash of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 sliced avocado
  • 2 cups shredded red cabbage mixed with 1 tablespoon olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn thawed and drained mixed with 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed with chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice
  • Plenty of fresh lime wedges

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat a large sauté pan, lightly coated with evoo, over medium high heat.
  2. Sauté onion and pepper until medium brown and very soft about 6 minutes.
  3. Add garlic and continue cooking for just a minute.
  4. Decrease the heat to medium and add chicken or turkey. Continue cooking until meat is beginning to cook through, about 3 minutes.
  5. Add chili powder, tomato paste and water. Stir to combine.
  6. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until meat is cooked through and thick and saucy. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Toast tortillas over open flame for 10 seconds on each side. Wrap in foil to keep warm.
  8. Serve tacos and let everyone make their own with meat mixture as the base and optional toppings as desired.
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