Quinoa Risotto with Salmon and Kale

It’s that time of year again…a new year and new resolution for a healthier you right?

Back in August I did Dr. Alejandro Junger’s 21 day Clean detox program (yes, the one that Gwyneth Paltrow did).  I had spectacular results, like I finally lost those nagging 10  pounds that have been hanging around for the past couple of years, and I felt great.  While I have maintained that weight, some of the good habits I formed in August has kind of fallen by the wayside in December.  It couldn’t have anything to do with my marathon candy making sessions or my week long trip back to Cleveland – or could it?

Either way, we’re back to a regular schedule and the Mr. and I are going back on the Clean detox for a couple of weeks.  Okay truth is, the Mr. doesn’t really actively participate in the process.  He kind of just gets taken along for the ride.  He eats what goes in front of him.  Lucky for both of us, mostly him, he really likes the food that I prepare when I’m doing my cleanse.  He’s even gotten to the point that when he’s eating something new that he really likes, he scrunches up his nose and asks me if what he’s eating is good for him.

Something that a lot of people begin to miss when they are on the clean program is rice.  Quinoa is on the list of foods that you can eat, but after several days of eating quinoa as a side dish, it can get pretty boring.

We do love a good risotto.  Since I’ve been eating quinoa for a couple of years now, I thought I could make a pretty good substitute using quinoa as a stand in for the rice in a risotto.

I will admit that I was never a fan of kale until I made this dish.  I am now a kale convert.

Relationship Advice

If  one of you has made a resolution to get healthy this year, don’t force your resolution on your partner.  At the same time if you’re the one who has not made the “get healthy” resolution, don’t make it harder on your partner to get healthy.  For example: don’t bring home the big bags of potato chips and don’t make fun of the different foods that may be prepared.  Just try to positively support one another in their efforts.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 1 Medium Onion (diced)
• 7-8 Leaves of Kale (stems removed and cut into ribbons)
• 4-5 Garlic Cloves (finely chopped)
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil (divided)
• 10 Ounces Poached Salmon (flaked)*
• 32 Ounces Organic Vegetable Stock
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions

In a 4 quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.  When oil is shimmering, add diced onion.  Saute onion until transparent.  Add quinoa to onion mixture and stir, to toast, for 2 minutes.  Add 1 cup of vegetable stock to quinoa and onions.  Stir until stock is absorbed.  Once stock is absorbed, add 1 cup of stock.  Continue stirring until stock is absorbed.  Add remaining stock in 1/2 cup intervals, stirring until all stock is absorbed.  Remove from heat.

While preparing the onion quinoa mixture, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saute pan with chopped garlic (over medium high heat).  Once garlic is sizzling, add chopped kale to the pan.  Turn kale to coat with oil and garlic.  Turn kale mixture until fragrant (approximately 2 minutes).  Remove kale mixture from heat.

Once quinoa is complete, add kale and salmon.  Stir to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.

*To poach salmon – Fill a 4 quart saucepan with water and put salmon filet into the water.  Place saucepan over high heat until water boils.  Once water boils, remove pan from heat and let sit for 10 minutes.  Remove fish from water and flake.

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2. Salty Sugared Salmon
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4. Lazy Chicken Tamales
5. Spice It Up: Soyrizo Black Bean Tacos and Missionary

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