Cheesey Quinoa Veggie Salad

I really love quinoa. If you are not familiar with it, here is a link to this "super food." I have a friend coming over and wanted to serve something different with my lentil soup.

• 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup quinoa, red or white rinsed first
• 1/2 diced white onion
• 1 diced green pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 cups spinach
  
• sharp cheddar
• salt and pepper

Rinse quinoa. In a medium sauce pan that is sprayed with cooking spray, sautee onions, peppers and garlic for 5-10 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Add in chicken broth, quinoa and spinach. Cook for 20-25 minutes or until soft. Place in serving bowl, and grate about 1/4 cup of sharp cheddar into quinoa and stir. Let quinoa cool to room temp. Garnish with cheese and enjoy.

Spinach Pesto Chicken

My garden is overflowing with basil. My husband picked some and we had two huge bunches wrapped up plastic wrap. I've never made pesto before, but I've eaten it on sandwiches and such. As I was blending up the basil, I remembered we had spinach in the fridge. Thus, spinach pesto was born.

• 2 cups packed basil
  
• 1 cup packed spinach
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (pine nuts are expensive, you can use em, but walnuts taste the same)
• 1 lb thin sliced chicken, salt and pepper
  

In a food processor or blender put basil, spinach, garlic, cheese and walnuts. Pulse and mix in olive oil while blending. Saute chicken with salt and pepper in large skillet. Remove chicken and spoon pesto over chicken. Since my whole family eats pasta, I mixed the pesto up in the pasta and put the chicken on top. You can eliminate the pasta completely. This would be awesome with shrimp too.

Wheat Pasta and Spinach Bake

I needed a side dish for my tofu parm, and I love wheat pasta. I just used random stuff I had at home and it turned out very good!

• 1 box whole wheat rotini



• 1 cup fresh baby spinach



• 1 15oz container of ricotta cheese



• 1 can diced tomatoes



• 1 cup marinara sauce



• 2 cups mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Boil pasta according to the box in salted water. Drain pasta. Add the remainder of the ingredients (except mozzarella) in a baking dish, mix well. Cover the top of the noodles with mozzarella and bake for 20 minutes. This is delicious!