Red Onions

WHY OH WHY DO ONIONS MAKE ME CRY?

I have never been a raw onion lover. Maybe it’s because my eyes are so sensitive to everything that the slightest smell of a raw onion makes my eyes tear.

I deal with it though and get puffy eyes anyways because I use onions to cook with often. And I am enjoying raw red onions more and more these days. They are packed with good stuff! 

Full of vitamins C and B6, iron, folate, and potassium and most importantly amazing phytochemicals. They are a super food along with garlic! They are an anti-allergic, anti-histaminic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant, rolled into 1 potent smelly ball. 

YUMMAY! 

So, why do these amazing super veg make your eyes BURN and tear so bad as soon as you cut into them? Well, I learned that when you cut into an onion, you’re breaking open microscopic cells filled with enzymes that turn into volatile gasses when cut. This causes a chemical reaction similar to the chemicals used in tear gas. WOH right? When the fumes reach the eye glands, your eyes begin to create tears trying to dilute and flush the chemical from your eyes. AMAZING FOOD!

I don’t know about you but, but it takes my eyes at the least an hour or more to recover after cutting onions!  And really there is nothing I have found that help with the fumes onions produce 100%. But, these small tricks give a tiny bit of relief.

• By using a sharp knife, less of the enzymes are released into the air.
• Cut onions in cold water. 
• Cut the root last!! The root has a higher concentration of enzymes.
• Chill or freeze onions. This minimizes the amount of gas released.
• Light a match before you start chopping. The sulfur disables the compounds in onions that make your eyes water.
• Use a food processor.
• Wear kitchen goggles to protect your eyes. (LOL! Yeah right. If you do this, you must send me a picture! :) )

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Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Quinoa every where! It's all the rage! And it should be in my opinion! It's not only fantastic but so very versatile! You can use it hot, cold, fresh or stored in the fridge for use the next day, seasoned or plain, as a side or main dish. 

• Its chock full of protein, in fact it is one of the most protein rich foods we can eat!
• It contains twice as much fiber as other grains.
• It contains Iron to keep our red blood cells healthy.
• It contains lysine to help our tissue grow and repair
• It contains magnesium which promotes healthy blood sugar levels, detoxification, energy production and promotes healthy bones and teeth.
• It is gluten free.

Its good stuff!

I mean, come on! For one simple grain this is amazing. Okay maybe I'm going over board but I LOVE this stuff. I could eat it daily truly. There is so much you can do with it.

One of my absolute favorite recipes using Quinoa is this wonderful salad. My husband and I can't get enough of it. 

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

Serves 1:
Cook Quinoa in organic chicken broth to enhance yumminess!

Ingredients;

• 1/2 cup cooked Quinoa cooled
• 1/4 cup raw spinach chopped
• 1/2 of chicken breast Diced
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes diced
• 1/4 cucumber diced
• 1 or 2 Tbs red onion
• 5-6 diced Kalamata olives
• 1.5 tbs of Newmans Own Light Italian Salad Dressing or Creamy Garlic Dressing
• A squirt of fresh lemon juice

Directions; In a bowl, combine all ingredients.

Adding some Feta Cheese crumbles makes this EVEN BETTER! 

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Guacamole

Hello addiction! 
This is BY FAR, the best Guacamole you will have on this side of the border! 

SO DELISH! 

It's worth the minimal work. Better than ANY store bought guac you can find. And there are some great ones out there. But this.... This is something special! 

Fresh, Spicy, Tart, Salty. YUMMY! 

Buy Organic Ingredients when possible. It's worth your health! No more excuses. And here it is!

Ingredients:

•  3 small ripe avocados diced 
•   juice of 1.5 limes
•  1 cup of cherry tomatoes diced in half and squeezed of excess liquid 
•   ¼ cup red onion diced 
•   handful of cilantro diced 
•   pink Himalayan salt to taste
•   Garlic Salt to taste
•   Pepper to taste 
•   1 garlic clove minced 
•   1 jalapeño or serrano pepper diced with seeds removed 

I like to use my food processor and chop the tomatoes, jalapeño, cilantro, garlic and red onion. Be careful not to OVER chop it. You're not looking for mush. Keep it chunky. Once diced and mixed, add the avocado to food processor or add avocado and chopped ingredients from food processor into a bowl and mash with a fork, adding lime juice, salt and pepper to taste. 

THE BEST GUAC EVER!
AM I RIGHT?

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