Healthy Eating: Moroccan Chili with Quinoa

This is one of my favorite Rachael Ray recipes that I've adapted to my family's tastes. Her original recipe calls for couscous, but I prefer the texture and flavor of quinoa.


Ingredients:
Chili
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb ground beef*
1 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 bay leaf (dried or fresh)
1 medium onion (or half large onion), chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-15 oz can tomato sauce


Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups beef broth (or water)


Directions:

1. Cook your quinoa in the same way you cook your rice. I use a rice cooker, but you can always use the stovetop!
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once olive oil starts shimmering, add your ground meat.
3. While meat is browning, add the chili powder, coriander, cumin, and paprika. Stir to coat.
4. Add onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Let cook for a few minutes, or until onion and bell pepper start to soften.
5. Add lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes (or until you're ready to serve dinner).
6. Serve atop the quinoa with a spoonful of sour cream, sprinkle of cheddar cheese, or both!

Enjoy!

Just put down the Crackberry...

Photo by Johan Larsson

As a working mom, I find it difficult to unplug myself when I’m home with my son.  I’m constantly picking up my smartphone and checking my work email, personal email, Twitter, and Facebook.  While I may be wearing my son while I do this, I’m definitely not in my best “mom” mode.  Over the past few days, I’ve really started to re-evaluate how I act around my baby.  Here are my thoughts:

Pick a time of day to completely unplug.  Not only does this open up time to really bond with your baby; you are also allowing your brain to just chill out after a busy day.  In my case, I unplug when my son nurses himself to sleep for the night.  I shut down my computer, head to our bedroom, get comfortable, and stare at him, talk or hum to him, or caress his soft baby skin while he drifts off into his milky dreams.

Facebook can wait.  While you may like to be up-to-date on all the latest news with your friends, family, and fan sites, waiting an hour or two (or four!) is possible.  Smartphones make it much too easy to constantly be online, so close your Facebook app and go for a walk with your little one.

Don’t let your online life run your real life.  With the advent of the smartphone, I’ve started to notice I spend less time talking and more time typing.  While this may not be an “issue” for everyone, I’m making a personal pact to stop myself from living online and enjoying every moment with my little guy. 

So, take a look at your life and see if it’s time to just put down the iPhone/Blackberry/Droid and spend a few extra moments building, dressing up, or just cuddling.  Memories are priceless.


Happy parenting...