healthy recipes - grace grits and gardening

Baked Green Bean Fries!

September 14, 2015 By Talya Tate Boerner

I bought fresh green beans at Fayetteville Farmer’s Market last weekend and decided to try my hand at green bean fries. Have you tried the green bean fries that are all the rage at restaurants? Breaded, deep-fried and dipped in some sort of yummy, rich, ranch-like dressing. They’re delicious because, hello, they are fried. My tasty baked green bean fries can be served as an appetizer or as a side dish. Guilt-free, people.Continue Reading

my 29 second gourmet breakfast

October 13, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

There’s no reason not to eat a healthy and delicious breakfast. If you’ve got 29 seconds, you can dine on a gourmet-ish egg cooked in your microwave. This is one of my favorite quick breakfasts. Okay really you’ll need a full minute when you add in prep, but what a great tradeoff. One minute for protein and vitamins!

This egg is so simple.

Crack an egg in one of those small measuring bowls, the sort cooks use to line up all their ingredients on food shows.

Give it a stir.

Add your favorite spices. I added a smidge of tarragon, cayenne and freshly ground black pepper.

Stir again.

Cover with a paper towel and cook in the microwave for 29 seconds on high. (Every microwave is different. You will need to experiment to find out the perfect time for your egg.)

Top with a dab of goat cheese. I bought yummy White River Creamery (Elkins, Ar) artisan goat cheese at Fayetteville Farmer’s Market. (Follow White River Creamery on Facebook.) They are an Arkansas Made & Arkansas Grown company.

I added a few currant tomatoes from my sister-in-law’s garden and there you have it, an easy yet impressive breakfast. Oh and there was coffee, of course.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Quinoa with Curried Yogurt and Mango

May 9, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

This is one of my new favorite quinoa recipes (adapted from Epicurious). If you happen to be one of those people who turns a nose up at quinoa or Greek yogurt or curry (I was that way forever), you may change your mind when you taste the flavor combination of this dish. I agree, plain quinoa doesn’t have much flavor, but that’s what makes it so versatile. Quinoa will highlight and enhance whatever herbs, veggies or fruit you toss with it. And this curried yogurt, ginger and mango combination is TASTEEEE!

Quinoa is considered a superfood. Yes, it seems the whole “superfood” thing has been talked to death, but the health benefits of quinoa are real:

high in protein;
low in calories;
source of riboflavin (relief for migraine sufferers);
gluten-free; and
low glycemic index.

So let’s get to it.

Mango, mint and onion. (You can use the green parts of the onion too. The bulb part of my onion was so huge, I saved the greens for something else.)

Quinoa with Curried Yogurt and Mango

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
1/3 cup Greek yogurt I use Fage
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large ripe mango pitted and diced
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh mint chopped
1 fresh jalapeño seeded and chopped

Instructions

Rinse and cook quinoa according to directions on package.
In a large bowl, whisk together yogurt, lime juice, curry, ginger, salt, pepper. Add vegetable oil and whisk until blended.
Add quinoa, mango, jalapeño and mint into bowl with yogurt. Fold together. Store in refrigerator. Serve chilled, at room temperature or warm.

This quinoa recipe will serve 6-8. I like to make a big bowl and eat it every day for lunch. For variety, try a scoop with fresh arugula salad topped with homemade blueberry granola.