Mexican Style Quinoa

1 C Quinoa
1 C canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 C canned corn, drained
1/2 C chopped red bell pepper (or 1/4 C Red Bell and 1/4 C Yellow Bell for color)
1/2 C chopped red onion
1 chopped Jalapeno (remove seeds so it is not too spicy)
1/4 C lime juice (lemon is fine, just not as good)
1/4 C olive oil
1 Tsp ground cumin
1 Tsp ground (ancho) chili powder
1/4 C chopped cilantro
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Meanwhile, rinse quinoa under cold water until the water is clear. Place quinoa into the boiling water, reduce to rolling boil and let cook until softened (about 15 minutes). Drain and run under cool water
2. Combine beans, pepper, corn, onion, and jalapeno in a bowl and combine with cooled quinoa stirring it all together
3. In a separate bowl, whisk lime juice, olive oil, cumin and chili powder, pour over quinoa mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed..
4. Mix in cilantro and serve with lime wedges (optional)

Taste 4/5
Ease of Making 4/5
Worth it 5/5

Chai Challah Rolls

Note: this recipe is a work in progress since it is an adaptation from this recipe for doughnuts which were awesome.
Note: this adaption did not work. They come out too dense but still taste delicious. When I perfect the ratios, I will update. Until then, use with caution

Ingredients 
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out the dough
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Vegetable oil, for coating the bowl
1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 chai tea bag
1/3 cup almond or soy milk
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine or Earth Balance (1/4 stick), cut into 8 pieces and at room temperature

Directions:
1. Place 2 1/2 cups of flour, the cinnamon, cardamom, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to aerate and combine; set aside. Coat a second large bowl with vegetable oil; set aside.

2. Place the yeast and 1 teaspoon of the sugar in a medium bowl. Add the water and stir to combine. Add the tea bag and let sit until the mixture is foaming, about 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag, squeeze the liquid from the tea bag back into the bowl, and discard the tea bag.

3. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, almond milk, egg yolks, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add this mixture to the reserved flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and begins to form a ball.

4. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Scatter the margarine pieces over the dough and knead until it is fully incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add up to 1/4 cup of additional flour as needed if the dough is sticky. Form the dough into a ball, place it in the oiled bowl, and turn to coat it in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Once the dough has risen, punch it down, transfer it to a lightly floured work surface, and roll it out until it’s about 1/4 inch thick.

6. Break the dough into small rolls and return it to the baking sheet, and let it rise covered for about 20-30 minutes. While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350.

7. Bake the rolls for about 30 minutes and remove from oven when ready (This step requires fine tuning and any input it appreciated)

My Rating:
Taste 5/5
Ease of Making 2/5
Worth it 1/5