Chef Stuart’s Cucumber and Green Pepper Quinoa

Quinoa is a gluten free grain making it the perfect food for those who cannot tolerate gluten so prevalent in wheat and many other grains. Quinoa seeds have a soap like coating called saponin, and even if they have been washed before you purchase them, they need to be thoroughly washed to remove any remaining residue. An effective method is to run cold water over quinoa that has been placed in a fine-meshed strainer, gently rubbing the seeds together with your hands. To ensure that the saponins have been completely removed, taste a few seeds. If they have a bitter taste, continue the rinsing process.

This recipe sounds so delicious that I have to make it for dinner!

Scroll down to read Tasting Notes for my comments on this recipe... Cheryll

Chef Stuart’s Cucumber and Green Pepper Quinoa

I love this grain because it is so versatile. It cooks faster than rice and it also is higher in protein than any other grain! It can be used in soups, salads and of course my favorite—stews! You can also substitute it any time rice is called for.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cups water
2 cups quinoa
1/2 tbsp. salt (use sea salt for added nutrition)
½ English cucumber, cut into 2" pieces
½ green bell pepper, quartered
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Let’s cook!

1. Put water, quinoa and salt in Tupperware® Microwave Rice Maker and microwave for 13 minutes.

2. While the quinoa is cooking, put cucumber and green bell pepper in the Quick Chef with the blade using attachment and lightly turn the handle a few times to get a rough chop.

3. Remove cooked quinoa from the microwave and using the Double Colander, drain the quinoa.

4. Put quinoa, cucumber, bell pepper, red wine vinegar and olive oil in an 8 ¾-cup/2.1 L Wonderlier® Bowl and stir using Saucy Silicone Spatula until well combined. Season to taste.

Tasting Notes:

I have to say that I'm not much for microwave cooking, BUT I was so intrigued with the brand new Tupperware Rice Cooker and the preceding recipe that I had to try it. Well, was I amazed and impressed! I cooked the quinoa for 13 minutes and checked it after that. There was about an inch of water on top, but I didn't drain it right away with the idea that I wasn't quite ready with other dinner items and I would keep the quinoa hot. The Quick Chef did its usual fantastic job on the rough cut veggies, and when I went to combine all the ingredients, all the water in the quinoa had been absorbed! So I carried on with the recipe. Perhaps if I'd drained it right away it would have been a little more chewy, rather than soft, but you know, we enjoyed the dish thoroughly! It is definitely a candidate for more seasonings and herbs though, and it makes quite a lot for 4 servings, but I see the potential for the leftovers. Today I started my day with a couple of scrambled eggs, a little grated tasty cheese, a chopped ripe tomato, and a serving of leftover quinoa microwaved 'til warm. My goodness! It was so tasty! Use your leftovers any way you'd use rice. Try it and be pleasantly surprised!

You'll have to forgive me. I meant to take pictures along the way and totally forgot! Next time...

If you have a picture or comment to share, please do!

PS. Here it is March of 2011, and I've made this recipe countless times, serving it to many who have remarked on how delicious it is. As I mentioned above, the original recipe needs a little spicing up. The solution is to add a minced clove of garlic for each cup of Quinoa cooked. Most of the time I only cook 1 cup because the recipe makes quite a bit, and it is so easy and quick to cook that I'll cook a fresh batch.

So feel free to vary the ingredients you add, but the musts for this recipe are the garlic, red wine vinegar (double this too), and the sea salt.

We enjoyed it with salmon last night, and were fortunate to have leftovers to go with our scrambled eggs for breakfast!

Try it... you'll love it, and your Tupperware Rice Cooker! Wash up is a snap!

Chef Stuart’s TupperWave® Stack Cooker Irish Scramble

So many people are enjoying their new TupperWave Stack Cookers and are looking for exciting healthy recipes to go with them. Here is a great nostalgic recipe complements of Chef Stuart. I'll bet they weren't drinking Green Tea back then like we are today!

Chef Stuart’s TupperWave® Stack Cooker Irish Scramble

Sometimes my mom would just use whatever she had in the fridge and create some awesome scrambles. This one brings back some fond memories of waking up on a Sunday morning and having this scramble with a slice of whole wheat toast and a cup of tea.

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the ¾-Qt./700 mL Casserole Cover
3 baby potatoes, cut into ¼" slices
½ tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

For the Colander
8 spears asparagus

For the 3-Qt./2.8 L Casserole
4 eggs, egg whites or egg substitutes
2 slices turkey bacon, cut into ½" slices
1 chicken apple sausage, cut into ¼" slices
3 tbsp. milk
salt and pepper

Let’s cook!

1. Using a Saucy Silicone Spatula, combine potatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper in a 6-cup/1.4 L Wonderlier® Bowl.

2. Place in the ¾-Qt./700 mL Casserole Cover and set aside.

3. Put asparagus in the Colander and set aside.

4. Place eggs and milk into the 3-Qt./2.8 L Casserole and whisk until well combined. Add the remaining ingredients and combine.

5. Place the ¾-Qt./700 mL Casserole Cover over the Colander and the Colander over the 3-Qt./2.8 L Casserole. Place in the microwave and cook for 10 minutes or until everything is cooked.

6. Serve on a Microwave Luncheon Plate with whole wheat toast.

TupperLiving Tea & Blooming Teapot

I've really gotten hooked on Tupperware's new line of Teas, so much so, that I've virtually given up coffee! The line includes Black Darjeeling Tea, Madagascar Green Tea, Lemongrass Green Tea, and Blooming Tea, as well as Iced Teas - both Herbal and White Tea. The Tupperware Blooming Teapot is cute and practical. It is made of high quality glass - the same clear glass that laboratory test tubes are made from, so that you can watch your tea steep from dried leaves into an infusion of water, colour, and flavour.

Did you know that tea is the 2nd most popular beverage in the world, only behind water in consumption? Tea has become even more popular with the discovery that it is full of anti-oxidants that slow aging and prevent disease. Tupperware teas are extremely high quality and are very good value. Give them a try... soon you'll be enjoying them every day too!

Check out my Blooming Tea Pot. Today I placed fresh mint leave from my garden in it and poured in hot water just off the rolling boil, let it steep 3 minutes and poured it into cups. Note the beautiful colour of the infusion! Mmm... smells and tastes wonderful!

How to Store Tupperware!

It's true... I am surrounded by very cleaver people. You'll know what I mean when you see how one Tupperware lover stores her collection.

Amy has a great outdoor cupboard on the patio of her city home where she stores her outdoor and entertaining Tupperware, because that's where she uses it. It is handy for guests and especially children to help themselves, and it really reduces the traffic in and out of the house.

Thanks for sharing Amy!

Another Use for a Citrus Peeler!

I'm sure you have many uses for a Citrus Peeler that are not listed here, and I'd love it if you would add your comment here or send me an e-mail on what you have found it useful for. I've come up with one that I think is worthy of adding myself.

You know that very expensive anti-aging serum that we buy, hoping to delay the inevitable? Well, when I got down to the last pump I knew there was still some in there, and I wasn't about to sacrifice it. So, I got my husbands tools out and opened the container, and at the bottom was a little cream! I could have used a Q-Tip, but much of the cream would have been absorbed in the Q-Tip, so I grabbed my Citrus Peeler and rescued that valuable cream. I got another 3 days worth of use from it. Over time that'll save me thousands!

I hope you are enjoying your Citrus Peeler. If you don't have one, please let me know, and we'll figure out how to get one for you. It is a must have!