Lee Hersh

Tuscan Chicken Quinoa Bake

March 12, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Tuscan Chicken Quinoa Bake

This Tuscan Chicken Quinoa Bake is packed with Italian flavors, kid-friendly, and has a whopping 40g protein per serving!

Happy Monday, friends! B and I just got home from a weekend in Cleveland to visit my parents. I’m already missing them like crazy!

I am super pumped about today’s recipe. Last week I asked the FFF facebook page what kinds of Spring recipes they want to see. About 90% of the responses were easy weeknight meals (protein-packed if possible). You wish is my command, frands! You all know my love for quinoa bakes/casseroles is real (this one is my fav!).

This casserole is…

PACKED with protein (40g per serving!)
Savory
Italian-Inspired
Cheesey
Gluten-Free
Prepped in under 10 minutes!

It also features FFF partner, Imagine® Foods’, Creamy Tomato Soup. I bet that’s the last thing you would have guessed was in this sucker. Well- it adds AMAZING flavor and creaminess to the casserole. In case you are wondering, this product is: certified organic, GMO free, gluten-free, vegetarian, kosher, non-dairy, and vegan. <—- a mouthful, right?

ingredients for Tuscan Chicken Quinoa Bake

chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, diced into bite-sized pieces
red onion, diced
EVOO
minced garlic
quinoa, uncooked
Imagine Foods Creamy Tomato Soup
italian seasoning
garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
tomatoes, sliced into rounds
basil leaves
Mozzarella balls

I used Imagine® Food Creamy Tomato Soup as the liquid portion to cook the quinoa. Did I mention you DON’T have to pre-cook the quinoa? You just throw it in the casserole dish and let the magic happen in the oven.

I did decide to brown the chicken a bit and cook down the onions before throwing everything in the casserole dish to bake fully. You most certainly do not need to do either, I just prefer more cooked onions and I love the texture that the chicken got after it was browned for a bit.

Chicken in every bite.

Blake’s dream.

This post is sponsored by Imagine® Foods.

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Vegan Sweet Potato Quesadillas

March 12, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Vegan Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Make these cheese-free vegan sweet potato quesadillas that are packed with protein and flavor and topped with a delicious cilantro avocado spread!

You guys.

I officially love the city of Toronto and the country of Canada.

I legit had the best week ever with Davida. We got SO MUCH work done and I can’t wait to share with you all our latest project! One thing that I realized after spending a week with Davida is that we have the same exact eating habits.

We eat when we are hungry and we eat what we are craving.

And yes, that means lots and lots of popcorn. Because who doesn’t crave popcorn for every meal?

I wasn’t sure what to call this because these don’t have cheese in them or have an ingredient that resembles cheese. They look and pretty much are a form of quesadillas without the cheese.

I got the most amazing whole wheat spinach tortillas from Trader Joe’s and that’s what I used as my shell. Green is my jam lately.

Speaking of green. I topped them with my Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread. Which, BTW. Is the most legit recipe I’ve ever made. Thing is you guys. It’s guacamole, but I called it something else to see if it would get more traction. It TOTALLY worked. AND- only one person has ever called me out on the fact that the recipe is actually guacamole

Sorrynotsorry.

So this week is actually bat sh*z crazy for me. I found out last week that I am going on a cruise with 10 other food bloggers and I leave on Sunday morning! Nothing like traveling back to back. I am so excited for this trip because I get to bring Blake with me and I get to go to countries I’ve never been before! We will be going on a Princess Cruise through the Caribbean visiting The Princess Cays, St. Thomas, and The Bahamas.

3 days after we get back form the cruise, we head to Cleveland to visit my parents (this trip was planned first).

If I had a real job I would be half way through my PTO already!

Are you going on any upcoming vacations?

Basic Ingredients

For the Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes
1 small red onion
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper

For the Quinoa & Black Beans

½ cup quinoa, uncooked
1 cup vegetable broth (I used low sodium)
1 15 oz can black beans
½ jalapeño, diced
⅓ cup salsa

Additional Ingredients Needed

Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread
coconut oil cooking spray
~8 tortillas

How to make Vegan Sweet Potato Quesadillas

For the Sweet Potatoes First, preheat oven to 400ºF, then line a baking sheet with tin foil.
Prep sweet potatoes by washing and patting dry. Then, chop into bite size pieces. Mince onion. Spread vegetables onto baking sheet and drizzle with EVOO.
Then, sprinkle on garlic, chili powder, paprika, and salt and pepper and toss with your hands.
Bake at 400ºF for 25-30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes have reached desired texture.

For the Quinoa & Black Beans Place quinoa, vegetable broth, and diced jalapeño in a medium size pot. Then, bring to a boil. Cover and turn down to low. Let simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has absorbed.
Add in black beans and salsa and mix.

Additional Ingredients Needed First, spread on some Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread. Then, place ~ ⅓ cup of vegetables and ~1/3 cup quinoa/black bean mixture on top of a tortilla shell. Then, place another tortilla on top of that.
Heat a large sauce pan to medium heat and spray with coconut oil spray. Cook both sides for 1-2 minutes or until they begin to brown. Serve with more Cilantro Lime Avocado Spread and a sprinkle of paprika.

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Strawberry Peach Quinoa Crumble with Coconut Whipped Cream

March 12, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Strawberry Peach Quinoa Crumble with Coconut Whipped Cream

Did you know that when peaches and strawberries are baked together…they turn purple?

Who would’a thunk it?

Not this girl!

I spent most of my day yesterday working on the ebook. Blake is taking summer courses for grad school (MBA), so our weekends are very low key. He has to write a 12 page paper…and it was raining, okay! I had a last minute change of heart in the design I was working on. I had originally had my mind set on a horizontal layout (11 x 8.5), but then I started designing covers…and this happened.

This still isn’t the final final, but I LOVE the color story and the amount of white space this photo has. I keep my fonts pretty consistent on the blog, so I tried to take those into the book for continuity.

If you have a design eye. I’d LOVE your feedback on…

Font choices
Font color choices
Font placing
Anything else you have an opinion on!

Do you ever get in one of those modes WHERE YOU JUST CAN’T STOP. Like I am so excited to be in the home stretch of designing this e-book that I could literally stay up all night and do it. #obsessive

Okay, back to this delicious DESSERT.

Strawberry Peach Quinoa Crumble with Coconut Whipped Cream

All you need are 8 ingredients. It’s gluten free. Seasonally tasteful. And healthy enough to eat for breakfast! LEGITIMATELY.

The innards are a mixture of fresh strawberries and peaches mixed with maple syrup, orange juice, and a few tablespoons of almond meal for texture.

On top- I mixed together some leftover quinoa from the night before and some Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Granola. Very basic. Very very basic.

I finished this bad boy off with some coconut whipped cream…but you could totes go straight up ice cream. I would if I had any…but I try and keep that out of the house or I would probably turn into the ice cream man himself.

I still can’t get over the color that was made when the two fruits roasted in the oven and mixed together. #baffled

Unless I bought magical fruit, in that case…SWEET!

Feedback on the cover? CHIME IN!

Seasonal summer fruits- what’s your fav?

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Strawberry Peach Quinoa Crumble with Coconut Whipped Cream

Author: Sandra
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale

3 large peaches
2 cups strawberries (or one carton)
2 Tablespoons almond meal
1 Tablespoon maple syrup
1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 cup quinoa, cooked
1/2 cup gluten free/vegan granola OR Rolled Oats
one can coconut cream (Trader Joe’s Brand), chilled for 2 hours

Instructions

First, preheat oven to 350F. Then, grease a medium size cast iron pan (or normal medium size frying pan with NO rubber) with coconut oil. Set aside.
Next, dice peaches and strawberries into one inch cubes. Place in a medium size bowl. Add almond meal, maple syrup, and orange juice, and mix.
Transfer into cast iron pan.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.
While the fruit is baking, mix together about 1 cup of cooked quinoa and 1/2 cup of your favorite granola. Spread evenly over fruit.
Place back in oven for 15 more minutes or until the fruit begins to bubble.
While the crumble cools off a bit. Pour chilled coconut cream in a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until fluffy. Feel free to add a tablespoon of sweetener or a few drops of liquid stevia if preferred.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition

Calories: 329
Sugar: 22g
Fat: 7g
Carbohydrates: 68g
Protein: 10g

Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

March 12, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

Get creative with your summer bruschetta recipe. Top a grilled piece of baguette with goat cheese and your favorite quinoa salad for a delicious warm-weather app!

You guys know I have a MAJOR love for all things quinoa. I eat this Tuscan Chicken Quinoa Bake like it’s going out of style, I substitute quinoa for noodles, and I even put quinoa in my dessert recipes. It’s just the best!

One thing that I love doing during the summertime is grilling out and feeding lotsssss of people at once! I love being a hostess. The key to making sure no one gets hangry, is having lots of appetizers and munchies readily available before the main course is ready. Insert > quinoa salad + bruchetta.

I thought I would create a fun recipe mashing two of my favorite things together! Plus, it means I get to use the grill. Love me some grilled baguette. This recipe is oh-so-simple. I’d say the hardest part is grilling the bread and not burning it. I only did that to a few of the pieces :P.

Anyone else have a finicky grill that gets really hot in the back and not so hot in the front? I DO. I DO.

Making the quinoa salad is also really easy. If you follow my “how to cook quinoa in the microwave” tutorial, you can have all of the veggies/fruit cut up while the quinoa is cooking hands-free! If you are wondering what kind of quinoa product I use….Ancient Harvest

For this recipe- you are more than welcome to serve the quinoa warm, but I prefer the salad to be cold. I love mixing temperatures and it really enhances all of the flavors, too!

Ingredients for Strawberry Avocado Quinoa Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

small whole wheat baguette
goat cheese
tomatoes, finely diced,
quinoa, uncooked
strawberries, finely diced
avocados, diced
honey
balsamic vinegar (aged if you have it!)
pinch of salt

This post is sponsored by Ancient Harvest Quinoa. I was compensated and all opinions are my own.

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Strawberry, Avocado, Quinoa Bruschetta with Goat Cheese

Author: Sandra

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Instructions

First, begin by rinsing the residue off your quinoa. Then cook quinoa using my microwave method. Once cooked, chill in the refrigerator over night.
Prep quinoa salad by dicing fruit and veggies. Then, place in a large bowl and add cooked quinoa, honey, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Mix.
Slice up your baguette into 1 inch slices and place on grill or in the oven for just a few minutes in order to harden things up a bit and get some nice grill marks.
Using a knife, spread on about a teaspoon or two of goat cheese and then top with about 1 to 2 tablespoon of quinoa salad.

Easy Gluten Free Margherita Pizza + Healthy Back to School Recipes

March 11, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Gluten Free Margherita Pizza

Got 20 minutes? Make this delicious and flavorful gluten free margherita pizza with just a few ingredients for a yummy weeknight dinner!

Anyone else kind of depressed that it’s mid-August. Other than the fact that it’s the most amazing time of the year in Minneapolis, the month of August reminds me of back-to-school, which still gives me the heeby jeebies I haven’t been in school for over 3 years and I still get butterflies during this time of year!

This month my blogging besties and I have partnered with one of my favorite gluten-free brands – UDI’S! I’m sure everyone has heard of Udi’s because they really make gluten-free eating easy peasy. My recipe today features their gluten-free pizza crust made with a brown-rice flour base (yay whole grains!). One thing that I like about Udi’s is that you can pretty much find them in any grocery store (check the freezer section!).

They have a huge array of products ranging from granola bars, to cookies, to breads, to chips! Celiacs/gluten-free eaters- your wish is Udi’s command

Ingredients for Gluten Free Margherita Pizza

Udi’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
tomato, sliced
basil leaves, fresh
EVOO
garlic powder
fresh pepper, to taste

Before we dive face first into this delicious pizza, let’s take a look at what everyone else made!

Buffalo Chicken Salad from The Healthy Maven

A simple, easy and healthy lunch recipe made with organic shredded chicken, celery and a zesty paleo buffalo sauce. Perfect in a sandwich or on a celery log, this salad is loved by kids and adults alike!

Grab and Go French Toast Cups from Lexi’s Clean Kitchen

The perfect breakfast on-the-go. Easy to make french toast cups that are gluten, grain, and dairy-free! Make ahead at the beginning of the week and have a delicious breakfast all week long. All you need is a pour of syrup and you are out the door!

Homemade Sunbutter Backpack Kisses from Eating Bird Food

Send your loved ones to school or work with a healthy treat that’s sure to make them smile. Made with homemade sunbutter, flaxseed, hemp seeds, raisins, chocolate chips and a splash of maple syrup these bites are packed with flavor and kid-approved.

Mexican Avocado Spread Sandwiches with Sprouts from Food Faith Fitness

These gluten free sandwiches are layered with a creamy Mexican avocado spread, spicy sprouts, fresh tomatoes and crunchy cucumber slices. They’re an easy, healthy meatless lunch optionfor work or school lunch boxes!

Paleo Chocolate Zucchini Bread from Running to the Kitchen

This paleo chocolate zucchini bread is actually flourless which makes it super moist. It’s healthy yet decadent way to enjoy the end of summer zucchini surplus and a great back to school snack.

Kids or no kids- this pizza is SO EASY TO MAKE and only takes 20 minutes! The fresh mozzarella cheese, though. AND that basil. Swoon. It’s the perfect time of year to use up all your basil.

Plus- you don’t have to deal with making dough because this pre-made crust is legit. Thin and crispy just the way I like it

Easy Gluten Free Margherita Pizza + Healthy Back to School Recipes

Author: Sandra

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Instructions

First, preheat oven to 375ºF.
Next, prep tomato by thinly slicing and removing seeds. Use a paper towel to blot out as much moisture from the remainder of the tomato as you can. Thinly slice mozzarella cheese into thin slices.
Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of EVOO onto your pizza crust and use your fingers to rub into crust. Then, pour on about ¼ cup of your favorite pizza sauce and use a spoon to spread it to the edge. Sprinkle on about ¼ teaspoon garlic powder and place sliced tomato and mozzarella cheese on top of sauce.
Bake at 375 for 16-20 minutes.
Remove and add fresh basil leaves. Slice into 6 pieces.

Before I let you go….YOU MUST ENTER THIS FABULOUS GIVEAWAY SPONSORED BY UDI’S!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Back to School Blogger Outreach. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Easy Pumpkin Marinara with Zoodles

March 11, 2023 by Lee Hersh Leave a Comment

Pumpkin Marinara with Zoodles

Got 30 minutes? Spiralize some zucchini and top them with a delicious pumpkin marinara for a meatless meal the whole family will love!

“Zoodle, do the zoodle dance.” Please tell me you know who PB&J Otter are. Ohhhhhhh the 90’s…bring me back! Want to know a hilarious fun fact about me that I find quite interesting? Well- I was born in 1990, but I consider myself an 80’s baby because I was conceived in 89. I feel like being born in the 80’s sounds way cooler than the 90’s. JK it’s not cooler, it just makes me seem older. I’d much rather be associated with florescent colors, center parts, and Hey Arnold.

What are they even going to refer 2010 – 2020 as? The 10’s? The 2010’s?

So this pumpkin marinara, though.

Sooooooooo good! The key to a good spaghetti sauce is garlic + sautéed onions + splash of red wine. Can’t go wrong. AND- if you add some pumpkin, it’s even better! Who doesn’t want an extra serving of veggies?

For this recipe I sprialized my zucchinis with The Inspiralizer by Inspired! A few months ago Ali from Inspiralized, launched a brand new product and I just got mine in the mail the other day. WOOT. She also just released her first cookbook called Inspiralized. Ummm can you say KILLING IT?! I’ve known Ali for over a year (pretty much since she started her blog) and couldn’t be more proud of her endeavors!

Ingredients for Pumpkin Marinara with Zoodles

organic marinara sauce
pumpkin puree
yellow onion
EVOO
garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
red wine
zucchinis, spiralized
1cherry tomatoes
salt and pepper, to taste

Photo Credit: Inspiralized

The Inspiralizer comes with 4 blades. I used Blade D, spaghetti noodles, for this particular recipe. Ali has tons of videos and recipes on her site for spiralizing any and all foods! This product is also really easy to clean, which is a HUGE win in my book. My old Spiralizer was a biatch

You can get the Inspiralizer for $49.99 today!

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