Category Archives: Grains

Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad

Roasted Red Pepper Quinoa Salad by Alison's AllspiceRight now I am craving fresh summer produce!  Unfortunately, it’s just not here yet.  My pepper plants in the garden are still only 4 inches tall!  Therefore, I made this roasted red pepper quinoa salad using pantry staples instead.

A jar of roasted red peppers is an easy ingredient to keep in the cupboard to make a quick meal.  It’s perfect for this time of year when you want fresh peppers that aren’t quite in season. Continue reading

Spicy Honey Cashew Tofu with Rainbow Vegetables

Spicy Honey Cashew Tofu with Rainbow Vegetables by Alison's AllspiceI first tried this spicy honey cashew tofu with rainbow vegetables for dinner because I found a forgoten bag of cashews in the back of the fridge. My husband actually used the word bliss to describe this meal!  Winner, winner, tofu dinner.

The sauce is the key component to nailing this stir fry, and honey is the secret ingredient!  I’m usually a person that would cut back on the sugar for a savory meal, but you don’t want to skimp on the honey! It makes the flavors so much more complex. Continue reading

Lemon Broccoli Barley Bowl with Cilantro Pesto

Lemon Broccoli Barley Bowl with Cilantro Pesto by Alison's AllspiceOne of my favorite simple meals is a grain bowl.  You can toss in just about any veggie, and with a little sauce, you have a meal.  This lemon broccoli barley bowl with cilantro pesto is an excellent example.

I started with a base of quick cooking barley. It cooks in only 10 minutes, which makes dinner speedy. You could also meal prep regular pearled barley, and it would be ready in even less time! Continue reading

Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Kale

Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad with Kale by Alison's AllspiceFriends, fall semester is finished!  That means that I will be whipping up a few extra recipes during break to share with you all.  Todays recipe, butternut squash quinoa salad with kale, was inspired by my cucumber dill quinoa salad.

Quinoa salad is a go-to kind of dish because it is fast and easy. In this fall version,  roasted butternut squash and kale replace the cucumber and dill I use in spring to make an equally satisfying salad. Continue reading

Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans

Sesame Barley Salad with Mushrooms and Green Beans by Alison's AllspiceI first started making this sesame barley salad with mushrooms and green beans years ago.  I haven’t made it in a long time because the original recipe was so time consuming.  Well, I worked on that and now have a recipe worth sharing!

One of the steps from the orignal recipe that I did not omit was toasting the barley in sesame oil.  It adds a nutty flavor that really makes this dish special. Continue reading

Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice with Edamame

Vegan Kimchi Fried Rice with Edamame by Alison's AllspiceI started experimenting with kimchi as an ingredient long ago.  So far, my favorite way to eat it is in fried rice.  This vegan kimchi fried rice with edamame is a colorful dish that is super easy to make!

I previously posted a kimchi fried rice recipe that had a sunny side up egg on top.  This vegan version is just as good, and is a bit more colorful thanks to the red cabbage. Continue reading

Jerk Tofu with Green Curry Forbidden Rice

Jerk Tofu with Green Curry Forbidden Rice by Alison's AllspiceI get a lot on recipe inspiration from magazines.  Surprisingly (or not if you know me well), I like to recreate the meat dishes instead of trying the meatless recipes.  I turned a jerk chicken recipe into a jerk tofu with green curry forbidden rice recipe.

Usually, I think of green curry paste as a thai staple.  However, it goes well with jerk seasoning, as they have some similar flavors. Continue reading

Spicy Vegetarian Chipotle Quinoa Sliders

Spicy Vegetarian Chipotle Quinoa Sliders by Alison's AllspiceHow many times have you adapted a favorite recipe to make it meatless?  For vegetarians, this is a common practice. I adapted these spicy vegetarian chipotle quinoa sliders from my chipolte fish sliders recipe.

I identify as a pescatarian.  In other words, a vegetarian who still eats fish.  I post 90% vegetarian recipes, therefore, I attract more meatless-eaters with my recipes than fish-eaters. Continue reading

Cucumber Dill Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas

Cucumber Dill Quinoa Salad with Chickpeas by Alison's AllspiceThis fresh-from-the-garden cucumber dill quinoa salad with chickpeas is light and refreshing, but also filling.  The chickpeas and quinoa and loaded with protein to help sustain you all day long.

I love a simple red wine vinaigrette on most of my salads.  They are so easy to make and add huge amounts of flavor. Quinoa will soak up the dressing, so if you are making a large batch and plan to have leftovers (say, work lunches), store the dressing separately. Continue reading

Vegetarian Quinoa Pizza Burgers

Vegetarian Quinoa Pizza Burgers by Alison's AllspiceFor me, veggie burgers don’t necessarily need to taste like a burger.  Instead, they can be a delivery system for fun flavors. Like these Jamacian Jerk Plantain Burgers, or these Moroccan Carrot Veggie Burgers, or today’s recipe for vegetarian quinoa pizza burgers.

I think one of the best ways to get great flavor in something like a veggie burger is to load it up with different seasonings.  Make it complicated for your taste buds to figure everything out, and you will likely enjoy the flavors more. Continue reading