Coconut Quinoa Bowl with Tahini Lime Dressing
My full on transformation into hippie life has begun - and I am proud of it. I have always been on the fence but I think as I get older the more I am embracing it. I don’t know if it is a product of Northern California or if I have always been attracted to a more “natural" way of life, but I am totally waving that flag now. Don’t get me wrong I am still addicted to my iPhone, I may have had just cheese and salumi for dinner last night and I have a tree in my living room that I put Miracle Grow on because it is dying,but I like to think it is all about balance and pachouli. (Yes I love the smell of pachouli - that is hippie 101 right?) I have gone pretty much natural on cleaning products, make-up, deodorant and most importantly food There is such a connection between how something is grown and raised to the status of our health. If I were to quit my job today one of the paths that I would probably want to go down is food policy in this country. Sounds sexy right? I take for granted how lucky I am in to live in Northern California and have access to some of the best local, sustainable raised food out there. I used to get horrible migraines that all of a sudden stopped when I started eating better food.
Case in point: My old roommate from when I lived in NY sent me a text recently - it was a picture of a Tasti-Delight store. We lived n NY right as the Tasti Delight craze started (for those of you who have never heard of it, it is a frozen yogurt chain in the Northeast that claims their frozen yoghurt has no calories. But what it lacks in calories it makes up in chemicals. YUM) Chemicals were not important to us at that time - we were barely making minimum wage and always looking to be skinnier so we would just eat Tasti Delight for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Genius right? It is no wonder that I felt like crap all the time - that and the fact we lived in a shoe box with one window that had mice and cockroaches.
I recently was talking to someone about other places beside Northern California I could live. After naming off a couple places, I panicked because most of those places don't compost. Would I have to make my own compost?. Goodness I am not sure I if I am ready for that whole process - the worms, the smell ah! Yes I know that I am totally insane but since we all waste so much food, I feel like composting is a bit of a savior. (Plus all the compost from the Bay Area goes up to Napa to help the grapes grow which means more wine for you and me -I bet you want to compost now right, ) I know composting is even sexier than food policy. I am totally wowing you this morning right? All part of this hippie transformation.
In true hippie style, I am totally on the coconut bandwagon. I love anything coconut and coconut milk is my total jam. Yes I still eat dairy but coconut milk adds so much flavor and extra deliciousness into whatever you are cooking. It also adds creaminess without the use of dairy (I make coconut whipped cream and it is amazing) I like to use it with quinoa because the quinoa soaks up all that added coconut flavor. You could also use this method on rice and make coconut rice (also delicious). I love to top these quinoa bowls with all the veggies and nuts I can find in the fridge. Top those veggies with a creamy dreamy tahini dressing and it is a complete meal. By the way, I was totally trying to resist tahini - it just seems so trendy. But I could not hold out. It is totally delicious and makes a perfect salad dressing when tossed with a little lime juice and honey.
This is one of my go to meals. It may appear that I eat poorly given my Instagram posts and post here about pie - but I am actually pretty thoughtful about what I eat. Plus I can completely tell when I don’t eat well. Lame, I know. My philosophy is balance. I am not going to pretend that I didn’t have 2 hamburgers last weekend on top of queso dip, cocktails and the most delicious cinnamon toast. But I try and reign it in by eating minimal meat during the week, lots of soups and this coconut quinoa bowl with tahini lime dressing.
I don’t believe in diets. I don’t believe in starving yourself or only drinking your meals. I mean come on, eating is pretty much the highlight of my day. When I need a reset I turn to this coconut quinoa bowl. Healthy, fresh and full of good fats, a little hippie but it tastes delicious.
Coconut Quinoa Bowl with Tahini Lime Dressing
Ingredients:
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 can coconut milk (about 15 oz)
- Salad toppings such as avocado, radish, cashews, leafy greens, cucumber and carrots
- 2 Tbs tahini
- juice of 1 lime juice
- 2 tsp honey
- pinch salt
Method:
Rinse quinoa under cool water. In a medium sized sauté pot, toast quinoa over medium heat for about 30 seconds.
Add coconut milk to a large measuring cup. Add enough water to the coconut milk to reach the 2 cup mark. Add liquid to quinoa and bring to a boil. Reduce to lowest heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove quinoa from heat and let sit covered for 20 minutes. Fluff with fork and sit uncovered for 5 minutes. Add in salad toppings such as avocado, radish, carrot, leafy greens and cucumber.
In a small bowl toss together tahini, lime juice, 2 tablespoons water, honey and a large pinch of salt. Whisk dressing together, adding more water if needed - dressing should be creamy but not too thick. Toss quinoa bowl with dressing and taste for salt and pepper.