Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

This salad has a bright, bold flavor thanks to the zesty lime vinaigrette enrobing the fluffy quinoa, sweet potatoes, tart cranberries, fresh herbs, and flavorful spices.

Roasted Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad with Zesty Lime Dressing
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:
 2 medium-large sweet potatoes (washed, peeled & cubed into 1-inch chunks)
 salt & pepper
 1/2 cup dried quinoa
 1 cup water
 1/2 cup dried cranberries
 1/2 cup fresh cilantro and/or parsley, roughly chopped
 1/4 cup sliced green onion
 2-3 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds (or sunflower kernels)

Dressing:
 4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
 1 Tbsp honey (maple syrup or agave, if vegan)
 1/8 tsp cinnamon
 1/8 tsp cumin
 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
 1/8 tsp salt

Directions
For the Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer chopped sweet potato to prepared baking sheet and spray with additional nonstick spray. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
 2. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Allow potatoes to cool slightly before handling.
For the Quinoa:
 3. While sweet potatoes are roasting, combine quinoa and water in medium-sized pot. Bring mixture to gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer until quinoa has absorbed all of the water.
 4. Remove from heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover pot and fluff quinoa with a fork. Set aside to cool.
For the Dressing:
 5. While quinoa is cooking, add oil, lime juice, vinegar, honey, spices, and salt to small bowl. Whisk until salad dressing comes together. Set aside.
For the Salad:
 6. In large bowl, add slightly cooled sweet potatoes, slightly cooled quinoa, cranberries, fresh herbs, and green onion. Pour salad dressing over top of veggies and quinoa. Gently stir to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated.
 7. Just before serving, garnish with raw pumpkin seeds on top.
 8. Enjoy immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Recipe adapted from nourished. the blog.

Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Blondies

This recipe is dessert perfection: the soft, chewy, cinnamon-sugariness of a snickerdoodle cookie combined with the rich, creamy, sweetness of a slice of cheesecake... all in one delicious treat!

Cheesecake Snickerdoodle Blondies
Yield: 9x13 pan

Ingredients
Cheesecake Layer:
 2 (8 oz) blocks of cream cheese, softened
 1/2 cup granulated sugar
 2 eggs, room temperature
 1 tsp vanilla extract

Snickerdoodle Layer:
 2 1/4 cups Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
 1/2 tsp baking soda
 1 tsp salt
 3/4 cup butter, softened
 1 cup granulated sugar
 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
 2 eggs, room temperature
 1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar:
 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Prepare Cheesecake Layer: In stand mixer with whisk attachment, beat together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Set aside.
3. Prepare Snickerdoodle Layer: In medium bowl, mix together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix until combined. Add in flour mixture; stir just until combined.
4. Prepare Cinnamon Sugar: In small bowl, mix together sugar and cinnamon until evenly distributed.
5. Assemble Bars: Spread 2/3 of Snickerdoodle dough into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of Cinnamon Sugar mixture. Pour Cheesecake mixture over the top and smooth with a spatula. Add remaining Snickerdoodle dough to the cheesecake layer by breaking it up into small pieces and placing on top of the cheesecake layer. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until center is just slightly jiggly and edges are set.
7. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Once at room temperature, cover and store in refrigerator overnight before serving.
8. Slice into bars and enjoy!

Note: This recipe needs to be made one day in advance!

Recipe adapted from Your Homebased Mom.

Healthy No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Indulge your candy bar craving with this super simple recipe that combines crunchy, crispy, smooth, and creamy textures all into one delicious treat!

Healthy No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch Bars
Yield: 8x8 (or 9x13) pan

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semisweet or milk chocolate)
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup coconut oil
3 cups crisped rice cereal (I use Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice)

*As listed, ingredients make 8x8 pan. For 9x13 pan (as shown in photo above), simply double everything.

Directions
1. Line 8x8 (or 9x13) baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In large pot over medium-low heat, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut oil. Stir occasionally until all ingredients are incorporated and no lumps remain. Remove from heat.
3. Add crisped rice cereal to chocolate mixture and stir until evenly coated and combined. Pour into lined baking dish and refrigerate until firm (at least an hour).
4. Remove pan from refrigerator and cut into bars. Bars can be kept at room temperature in sealed container but are best kept refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

Recipe adapted from The Big Man's World.

Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad

This Thai-inspired salad is packed with crisp, colorful vegetables and tossed in a delicious homemade peanut sauce. Not only is this healthy salad gluten free, but it can be prepared vegan as well. Throw it together for an easy meatless summer dinner and enjoy the leftovers for lunch throughout the rest of the week!

Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Salad:

• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 cups shredded purple cabbage*
• 1 cup grated carrot*
• 1 cup thinly sliced snow peas or sugar snap peas*
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts, for garnish

Sauce:

• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 Tbsp coconut aminos
• 1 Tbsp honey (or maple syrup)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

*To keep it simple, I substituted a bagged coleslaw mix for these ingredients.

Directions

1. First, cook the quinoa: In a medium-sized pot, combine the quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water. Remove the quinoa from heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, make the sauce: Whisk together the peanut butter and coconut aminos until smooth. (If this is difficult, microwave the mixture for 15-20 seconds to loosen it up.) Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth.
3. In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, shredded cabbage, carrot, snow peas, cilantro, and green onion. Toss to combine, then pour in the peanut sauce. Toss again until everything is evenly coated in sauce.
4. Garnish with peanuts just before serving (otherwise they get soggy). Salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for up to 4 days.

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate.

Creamy Pea Salad

This side dish can be prepared ahead of time, so it is perfect when you are entertaining guests in your home or need to bring a potluck dish to share at an event.

Creamy Pea Salad
Yield: 6-8 servings

Ingredients
2 (16 ounce) packages frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup diced cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced mozzarella cheese
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
salt & pepper, to taste
4 bacon strips, cooked & crumbled (can substitute bacon bits)

Directions
1. In medium bowl, combine peas, cheeses, onion, mayo, salt, and pepper; mix well. Refrigerate until serving.
2. When ready to serve, sprinkle with bacon.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

I first made this recipe when my husband and I were in the early dating phase of our relationship. In just a few weeks, we will be celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary, so this recipe has been with us as a couple for a long time! It's the perfect way to use up the bountiful rhubarb crop from your home-grown garden.

Straight out of the oven:

Inverted onto serving dish:

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
Yield: 8x8 pan

Ingredients
2/3 cup boiling water
1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Quick Cooking Oats

2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 cups diced rhubarb

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I substitute one 2.5 oz tub of baby prunes)
1 egg, room temperature

Directions
1. In medium bowl, pour boiling water over oats; cover and let stand about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine melted butter and sugar; spread in bottom of greased pan. Sprinkle diced rhubarb over sugar; set aside.
3. In medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
4. In large mixing bowl, combine 2/3 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil (or prunes), and egg; beat until combined. Add oat mixture and beat well. Add flour mixture to oat mixture, stirring just until combined.
5. Carefully pour cake batter on top of rhubarb in pan, spreading evenly to edges. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Run knife along sides of pan to loosen cake; invert onto platter. Serve warm.