Welcome Jean Challenge Participants! We’re so happy that you decided to take the plunge and are taking your health into your own hands. This is the first step to a healthy, more energetic and balanced lifestyle! The challenge can seem a bit daunting at times but we want you to use us as your support system throughout this process. Every week we will be posting recipe ideas for you to choose from, for those times where you just don’t know what to eat! This week we’ve decided to feature quick healthy recipes that require little time of preparation. These are perfect for times when you want to eat healthy but don’t have much time to spend in the kitchen. Cheats are limited and we don’t want you wasting them!

They all happen to be vegetarian but I’ll be sure to include meaty recipes in the upcoming weeks!

1. Roasted Sweet Potato, Kale + Sage Quinoa Skillet

Serves a family or group of four + takes 45 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked quinoa
• 1 extra large shallot, chopped {about 1/2 cup}
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
• 2 sweet potatoes
• 4 cups Tuscan kale, ribs removed + shredded
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• sea salt + coarse ground pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Scrub and dry your sweet potatoes. Pierce them a few times with a knife or fork tongs. Do not wrap in foil, but just toss them onto the oven rack. Place a cookie sheet on the rack below them to catch any drips. Roast for about 45 minutes or until soft and tender. Cool almost completely, chop into small bites.

While the sweet potatoes are roasting, heat the coconut oil in a skillet over low heat. Saute the shallots for about 5 minutes or until they start to turn translucent. Then add in the sage, paprika, sea salt and pepper. Cook for a few more minutes and then add in the shredded kale. Cover and cook the kale until it starts to wilt, about 3 – 5 minutes. Toss the sweet potatoes and quinoa together with the kale mixture. Cook together in the skillet for about a minute and serve warm.

2. Roasted Eggplant with Chickpeas and Cilantro Pesto

Prep time: 10min

Cook time: 40 min

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized eggplants
• 1 cup chickpeas (cooked or canned)
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• ¼ cup greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• juice of ½ lemon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with a very thin layer of olive oil.

Slice each eggplant lengthwise. Use a pastry brush or your fingers to coat the cut side of each eggplant with a thin layer of olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt.

In a small bowl, combine chickpeas, coriander, cumin, paprika, one tablespoon olive oil, and a pinch of salt.

Spread chick on a separate baking dish in a single layer. (If you are completely adverse to the thought of having one more pan to wash, I sometimes just roast them on the same pan as the egg plant.

Roast until the thickest part of each eggplant is very soft when punctured with the tines of a fork, and the chickpeas begin to brown. (About 35-40 minutes)

To make the pesto, combine the garlic, cilantro, ¼ cup pine nuts (save the rest for garnish), a pinch of salt, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons olive oil in a blender. Blend until the mixture becomes a liquid, but stop while it still has some texture. The consistency should be thinner than a pesto you would use for pasta, but should still have identifiable flecks of pine nuts.

Remove eggplants and chickpeas from the oven.

Top each eggplant with a few tablespoons of yogurt, a drizzle of tahini, and a drizzle of the cilantro pesto. Finish by dividing the roasted chickpeas and remaining pine nuts evenly between the eggplant halves. 

3. Cannellini Bean Stew

Serves a family or group of four

• 1 jar of sun-dried tomatoes (drained weight of 150g)
• 2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 2 400g tins of cannellini beans
• 1 tablespoon of tahini
• 1 teaspoon of ground chilli
• 3 cloves of garlic
• salt and pepper

Simply pour the beans into a colander, rinse them with water and then drain them before placing them in a large frying pan.

Next drain the sun-dried tomatoes in the colander and add them to the pan with the tins of tomatoes, tahini, crushed garlic, chilli, salt and pepper.

Allow the pan to heat for a few minutes until everything is nice and hot, then serve and enjoy!

4. Swiss Chard and Onion Frittata

Serves 4-6

• 1 bunch (about 1 1/4 lb./625 g.) Swiss chard
• 4 Tbs. (2 fl. oz./60 ml.) olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 large eggs
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 pinches cayenne pepper

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 350ºF (180ºC).

Separate the stems from the chard leaves by cutting along both sides of the center vein. Cut the chard stems crosswise into slices 1/4 inch (6 mm.) thick and coarsely chop the leaves. Set aside separately.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add the chard stems, season with salt and sauté until they start to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped chard leaves and sauté until all of the chard is tender, 3-4 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate. Set aside.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs with the garlic and Parmesan. Season with cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste.

Drain the liquid from the plate holding the chard, squeeze the leaves gently to remove any excess liquid, and stir into the egg mixture. In an 8-inch (20-cm.) ovenproof frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the egg mixture, reduce the heat to medium, and cook without stirring until the eggs are set around the edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake until completely set, 7-9 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool briefly.

Cut the frittata into wedges and serve straight from the pan, or invert onto a large plate, if desired, cut into wedges, and serve.

5. Favorite 3 Bean Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 2 cups Green Beans, freshly blanched if possible or 1 can cut green beans
• 1 can, 15.5 can Garbonzo Beans, rinsed
• 1 can, 15.5 can Kidney Beans, rinsed
• 1 large Shallot, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Whisk together sugar, oil, salt, pepper, garlic and shallots. Set aside.

In a large bowl stir together green beans, Garbanzo beans, and kidney beans. Pour the sauce over the top and fold together to combine until all vegetables are coated in sauce. Cover and place in the fridge to chill and allow the flavors to meld. Serve cold and stir before serving. 

6. Vegetarian Quinoa Chili with Kale and Red Beans

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ghee, or butter, or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup of water
• 2/3 cup quinoa, rinsed with warm water
• 1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 small bunch of kale, de stemmed and coarsely chopped

In a large sauce pan, heat oil over medium low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and spices and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the water, quinoa, corn, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the beans and kale and simmer for an additional 5 minutes, or until kale has softened. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

7. Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients:

• 2 acorn squash, halved and seeds removed*
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Coarse sea salt and pepper
• 1 c. quinoa, rinsed
• 2 c. vegetable broth or water
• 1/4 c. minced red onion
• 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 c. raisins
• 1/4 c. toasted pecans
• 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 c. feta or parmesan cheese (optional)
• toasted pepitas for garnish
• (You can also add kale to this recipe! I didn’t have any at the time!)

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Slice acorn squash in half and remove the seeds*. Spread olive oil on the inside of the squash and then place on a baking sheet, cut-side down and bake for 20-25 min. or until soft.

Simmer quinoa, covered, in vegetable broth or water for 12-14 minutes, or until quinoa is cooked and liquid absorbed.

Add the diced red onion during the final 5 minutes of cooking time.

Remove quinoa from heat and mix in the raisins, pecans, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, parsley, parmesan and generously season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Divide the quinoa stuffing amongst the four squash and spoon it.

Garnish with toasted pepitas!