After being inspired by this home tour on The Every Girl, I found myself hunting for a few new items to add to my own home. Similar to this edition of Playing Favorites, I’m still on the lookout for individual items that will make a statement. My East Village apartment in Manhattan is t-i-n-y, so little additions can go a long way and after spending last weekend at home, I was inspired to clean up, toss out and re-arrange. (The best way to justify new purchases is to get rid of some items, am I right?) Here are some pieces I currently have my eye on:

1. Williams Sonoma Julep cups (for fresh flowers)
2. Harper’s Baazar: Greatest Hits
3. Williams Sonoma 12″ Cake Stand
4. Jonathan Adler Letter pillow

Happy Friday, all! As always, thank you so much for reading. I am off to San Francisco tomorrow – hooray!

I’m constantly on the hunt for hearty lunches I can make ahead, bring to work and hopefully even have a bit left over for dinner. This superfood salad fits the bill in every way and is full of fresh flavors and some of my favorite ingredients (avocado! shrimp! quinoa! black beans!)

I hope you have a lovely weekend! I am heading to DC to spend the Easter weekend with my godmother- can’t wait!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 orange, peeled and segments chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup pomegranate arils (about 1 pomegranate worth)
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
salt & pepper

For the Lemon Vinaigrette:
2 lemons, juiced (need 1/4 cup juice)
2 garlic cloves, microplaned or finely minced
dash of sweetener (agave nectar, stevia or white sugar)
salt & pepper
6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions. Set aside to cool.
2. For the Lemon Vinaigrette: combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake to combine. Or, add lemon juice, garlic, sweetener, salt and pepper into a small bowl and whisk in oil.
3. Combine cooled quinoa with red onion, orange segments, avocado, beans, pomegranate arils, corn, cilantro, salt and pepper. Pour Lemon Vinaigrette over the salad and stir to combine. Serve cold or at room temperature.

[Recipe and image via Iowa Girl Eats]

I can’t get enough of quinoa since I don’t eat much pasta anymore since going gluten free and g-free pasta isn’t quite the same. Pair it with a nice crunch from pine nuts and carrots and a punch of protein from chicken and this recipe is hearty and delicious and will stay good for lunch the day after, too.

Warm Quinoa Salad with Carrots and Chicken

• 6 ounces red or black quinoa (1 cup)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into half-moons
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 ounces each), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons small mint leaves

Directions:

1. Put the quinoa in a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups of water. Add a large pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, toast the pine nuts over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet. Add the garlic and onion and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and cumin, cover and cook over low heat until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place oil in a skillet and sauté chicken until cooked through.
4. Mound the quinoa salad on plates. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts and mint leaves and serve the chicken alongside.

[Recipe adapted from Food + Wine]

You’ll have to excuse my not so great food photography, but after making this amazing meal twice and Instagram-ing it both times I got so many requests for the recipe that I thought I’d share as part of this week’s plat du jour. This sweet potato quinoa chili is hearty, comforting and healthy all at once so really you can’t beat that…am I right? It’s also vegan if you choose to not add cheese but I did that at the last minute last night and LOVED the addition.

Also, note it makes A LOT! I have enough for 3+ meals out of it and it’s great even when re-heated the next day for lunch or dinner so it’s a lot of bang for your buck.

Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili 

• one 29 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• one 6 oz can tomato paste
• 32 oz vegetable stock
• 1 onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• salt and pepper to taste
• avocado, cilantro for garnish  (optional)

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large heavy soup pot over medium low heat. Add onions, and cook until soft and they start to turn brown (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, and oregano and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the beans, stock, and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper . Cook for about 5 minutes, then add the quinoa. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes – 30 minutes, stirring frequently, until quinoa and potatoes are cooked and the chili has thickened. Add a bit of water if the chili becomes too thick for your liking. Top with avocado and chopped cilantro.

[Recipe adapted from Milk Free Mom]

There’s nothing like great granola, am I right? I love a bowl full of greek yogurt, crunch granola and fresh fruit (I often bring all the mixin’s from home in separate containers to work and then make my own parfait at my desk!) Granola is really just so delicious and healthy yet satisfying. The below recipe is adapted for my own personal taste (I removed the coconut and pecans and added hazelnuts) and it’s easily adaptable for whatever you may like best. I also would use gluten free oats but that’s just me!

I love a good soup or stew this time of year. When it’s chilly or snowy after you step out your front door (like today- it’s 10 degrees in NYC!) and when Sundays are designed for burning candles, cozying up under blankets and indulging in delicious and hearty meals shared between friends and family. This stew takes a bit of prep time but looks so presentable for guests or just yourself!

French Beef & Red Wine Stew on Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 3 lb stew beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 (750-ml) bottle Cote du Rhone or Bordeaux
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 1 orange, washed well and cut into 8 wedges
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into rings
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• olive oil
• 1 6-oz can tomato paste
• 3 1/2 oz. pitted black olives

Directions:

1. Season meat with salt and pepper on all sides.  Place meat in a big bowl with wine, thyme, bay leaves, carrots, orange, onion, and garlic.  Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours, and preferably 24 hours.
2. Heat some olive oil over medium heat in a large stockpot.  Remove the meat from the marinade and brown the pieces in the oil on all sides.  Pour the marinade (including the oranges, bay leaves, etc.) over the meat and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, skimming any foam from the surface.  Lower the heat to a simmer, stir in the tomato paste, and add 4 1/2 c. water.  Cover, and let stew on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
3. 15 minutes before the stew is ready, add the pitted olives.  Let cook for 15 minutes on medium heat without the lid to thicken the stew.
4. Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta.

[Recipe via Katie at the Kitchen Door]

 For the first time in a long time, I am all about the greens. I’ve been juicing (my go-to), drinking smoothies each morning and enjoying ingredients like kale as much as I can. I’m all about hearty salads and some that balance good texture, a bit of dairy (mmm..ricotta) and seasonal greens like beets and kale are right up my alley. I love this salad because it’s got a little bit of sweet (yay, figs!) and a good crunch without a ton of prep.

Grilled Kale Salad with Beets, Figs, and Ricotta:

• 4 small golden beets, peeled and cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• one bunch of dinosaur (lacinto) kale (or green kale), bottoms of the stems removed
• 12 fresh figs, black mission or Turkish brown figs, stemmed and halved
• 1 generous cup of fresh ricotta
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425F.  Toss the beet wedges with 1 Tbs. olive oil and sprinkle them with salt.  Spread them in a baking dish and roast, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20-20 minutes.
2. Whisk together 2 Tbs. olive oil together with the balsamic vinegar and the maple syrup.  When the beets come out of the oven, toss them with the dressing.
3. Heat your grill and coat the kale with the remaining olive oil and a good sprinkling of salt.  Spread the leaves out on the grill and cook them, turning each over once, until they have developed crispy edges and charred splotches, several minutes.  Transfer the kale to a cutting board, remove the tough center stems if you wish, and chop it coarsely.
4. Put a spoonful of ricotta on each salad plate, then divide the kale between the plates.  Divide the beets between the salads, and drizzle some of the dressing that is leftover from the beets over each of the salads.  Finally, divide the figs between the salads, dollop the remaining ricotta over the salads, sprinkle each with salt and pepper, and serve.

[Recipe and image via 5 & Spice]

Sometimes I get a few fun perks from my job and one of them has been attending TV tapings like that of The Chew. I went twice in the past few weeks and it’s such a fun program. I’ve been lucky enough to sit at The Tasting Table where I’ve dined on food by Mario Batali, Michael Symon, Bobby Flay and Daphne Oz- it’s so fun (not to mention delicious). That being said, this past Tuesday I dined on the most delicious and healthy stew made by Daphne Oz. It’s creamy without having any dairy and when served without bread, it’s also gluten free. The best part? It’s only about 200 calories per serving (hip, hip, hooray!) I highly recommend whipping up this stew. And if you’re feeling adventurous this recipe is also amazing.

Red Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew:

• Olive Oil
• 1 Red Onion (finely chopped)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 7 Carrots (thinly sliced coins)
• 2 Celery Ribs (finely chopped)
• 3 Garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 2 cups Red Lentils (rinsed)
• 2 teaspooons Cumin Seeds (toasted and ground)
• 1 teaspoon Coriander (toasted and ground)
• 1 teaspoon Chipotle Chili Flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 6 cups Water
• 1 Sweet Potato (peeled and finely diced; about 1 cup)
• 1 bunch Black Kale (finely shredded)

Directions:

In a heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add about 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering and hot, add the onion. Season with salt and saute for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft.

Add the carrots and celery and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Add in the rinsed lentils and cook for about 2 minutes, toasting in the oil. Add the cumin seeds, coriander, chipotle chili flakes  and turmeric, and continue to toast for another minute, or until fragrant. Add the water and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low heat and gently simmer for about 10 minutes.

Then, carefully stir in the sweet potato and kale. Cook for another 10-15  minutes, or until the lentils are cooked through but not mushy.

Once cooked, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Optional: Serve with a chutney crouton. See recipe here.

[Recipe from The Chew; image taken by moi]

There’s something about winter and comfort food that just go together, am I right? Since going gluten free, I’ve had to conjure up different ideas of comfort food (no dipping fresh baguette into a stew, no chicken noodle soup, no spaghetti and meatballs!) and since learning to re-love my veggies, nothing sounds better than a hearty salad of roasted vegetables and quinoa. So without further ado, here’s my inaugural Plat Du Jour.

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Dried Cranberries, & Red Onion

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

1/2 medium red onion, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and pepper, to taste

3 cups kale

5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

1 cup uncooked black quinoa

2 cups water

Pinch of salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes and red onion slices in a medium bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss together and then put them on a large baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are tender. Stir a few times while baking.

2. Drizzle kale with 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and place on a baking sheet. When the sweet potatoes and onions have been in the oven for 15 minutes, put the kale in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until kale is wilted and starting to get a little crispy.

3. While the vegetables are roasting, make the quinoa. Using a strainer, rinse the black quinoa under cold water. Add quinoa, water, and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Let cool quinoa cool to room temperature.

[Image and recipe via Two Peas & Their Pod]

If you follow me on various social media channels (Twitter, Instagram, etc.), you may have picked up on the fact that I am gluten free. I began it about six months ago as a trial for two weeks and then after seeing how much better I felt, I just kept it up. I have ongoing battles with chronic headaches which have since been better when I removed gluten from my diet and also was diagnosed with graves’ disease early in 2012 which is what really led me to the decision.

I end up feeling less bloated, far less fatigued and have had so many other positive influences on my health that being gluten free has been such an improvement for my well-being. I’ve come to love vegetables even more (I’m obsessed with brussels sprouts!), gotten creative with my cooking and baking (gfree flour! slow cooker meals! smoothie goodness!) and most importantly  I’ve come to have a deeper understanding of how what you put in your body affects the way you feel, think and function.

It’s a challenge on a daily basis but my health is of so much more worth to me. If you have had special diet battles/successes as well, I’d love to hear about them in the comments below. In the meantime, I finally started a board especially for Gluten Free goodness (named as such) over here on Pinterest. And I’ll also be starting a Plat du Jour column here on w&w many of the dishes featured will be gluten free so I’m excited to announce this new feature on the blog!

The above snaps are some of my favorite g-free meals. Here’s more on ‘em:

Shrimp and avocado salad at one of my favorite joints in Miami, Michael’s Genuine // Brussels Sprouts with Bacons & Onions

Mexican Quinoa (so good!) // Egg Frittata at Locanda Verde in NYC

Scramble with corn, tomatoes & bacon at Ella’s in SF // Homemade butternut squash and black bean tacos

Cappuccino with a gluten free snickerdoodle at Jane in SF // Spinach salad with currants, goat cheese & pine nuts at Buvette in NYC

Barbeque chicken salad in Miami // Homemade gluten free chocolate chip cookies