Black Bean & Avocado Quinoa Salad

With the start of the new year I decided to post a delicious and healthy dish.  I was going for an Indian flavor with less-traditional Indian ingredients, like quinoa, when creating this recipe because we LOVE Indian food in our house.  My 19 month old loved every bite -- except the avocados, crazy girl.  It was loved so much by my husband that when I asked him what I should call this he said "Quinoawesome!"  He makes me laugh.  Obviously I went the traditional route with the name.  This dish is good for a light lunch for two people or as a side to grilled fish or chicken.

Black Bean & Avocado Quinoa Salad

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 T. coconut oil
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• pinch or two of sea salt
• 1 1/2 t. garam masala
• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/4 t. garlic powder
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 2 avocados, chopped
• lime, cut into wedges
• alfalfa sprouts (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan or rice cooker, combine the quinoa and broth and cook according to package directions.  Meanwhile, heat coconut oil in a frying pan and add onions with a pinch or two of salt.  Once onions are almost soft and transparent, add the garam masala and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about a minute, stirring constantly.  Add the black beans and garlic powder and stir until heated through.  Remove from heat and stir in cooked quinoa and tomatoes.  Can be served warm or cold.  When serving, top with avocado and alfalfa sprouts, and sprinkle with lime juice.

A Healthy Snack -- Strawberry and Feta

Doesn't that look delicious?  This is a really easy and quick snack that is healthy and satisfying.  Just cut up a few strawberries and crumble some feta cheese on top!  It amazes me how something so simple can be so delicious.  The strawberries and feta provide a salty/sweet combo that I LOVE.

If you are trying to control your portions, here is the "recipe":

• 3-8 strawberries, depending on the size (about a 1/2 cup)
• 1 square inch chunk feta

Do you want to know the best part?  That's ONLY about 70 calories!  Plus a lots of vitamin C and some protein.  

Grocery Sack Holder

A couple months ago I had a very stinky problem in my daughter's room.  I cloth diaper my baby girl, which is great, and I certainly wouldn't do it any other way, but it does cause a slight complication in the poop arena.  Luckily, there is a wonderful thing called a diaper liner.  This magical invention is placed between the diaper and the cute baby tush to catch the "yuckies".  You can either flush the liner and its contents or toss it in the trash.  I don't really trust the plumbing in our old house so that leaves to tossing the liner.  This is where the stinky problem lies.  I always have tons of grocery sacks lying so this provides an opportunity to reuse them, but its certainly not safe to have plastic sacks floating around in a baby's room.  This is where my project began.  Keep in mind that I didn't really measure anything, I just worked with what I had.

You will need:

• A rectangle piece of fabric (whatever size you want--this will depend on how big you would like it)
• Ribbon (cut a couple inches longer than the length of the rectangle)
• 1/4" elastic (cut AFTER sewn in)

Along the length of the rectangle that you want to be the top, lay your ribbon down so you can fold the edge of fabric over and it will extend past the ribbon.  This should allow room for the ribbon (which will act as a drawstring) and a decent amount of seam allowance.  Mark the fabric so you know where to pull the edge to.  Oh and raw edges of fabric don't matter on this one :)

Pull the edge over to the pencil marking and sew, making sure their is enough space for the ribbon.

Once sewn, thread the ribbon through the "sleeve" you created.  My ribbon was pretty stiff and easy to pull through.  You can also attach a safety pin to the end of the ribbon and guide it through the sleeve.  Or you can use the technique I used in the next step.

Do the same on the opposite edge of fabric using the elastic instead of the ribbon (remember to not cut the elastic yet).  This time pin the fabric into place with elastic still there.

When sewing, make sure not to sew over the elastic.

This is where the gathering is created.  Sew one edge of the elastic in place.  Once secure, pull the elastic to the tightness you want, gathering the fabric along with it.  Pin and sew that edge of the elastic.  Now you can cut the elastic.

Pin the raw edges together.  Tuck in the edges around the ribbon.  Once that is done, sew the edge but be sure not to sew over the ribbon.

Once that's done you have a grocery sack holder, wasn't that easy?

Just stuff and pull the drawstring shut.  I hung mine on the wall above my daughter's changing table.

**Just a safety note:  If you are using this in an application like mine, make sure the bag is out of your child's reach.