Winter Veggie Quinoa Salad

Winter in a bowl! Quinoa has been around forever, but in the last couple of years it's really become a show stopper! I absolutely love quinoa. Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods you can eat. It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids. It is also a great source of Iron, and energy. Take the benefits of quinoa paired with pure vitamins and antioxidants found in winters prime produce and you have a heart healthy delicious meal! 

Try this winter veggie quinoa salad with butternut squash, cranberries and pumpkin seeds. 

Fall in love with taking care of yourself - Kristin Sollenne 

4 Servings | 30 Minutes

• 3 cups butternut squash, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup cooked cannellini beans 
• ⅓ cup dried cranberries
• 3 Tbsp. toasted pumpkin seeds
• salt and black pepper

Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. parsley, chopped
• salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange coated squash on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until squash is tender and lightly browned. While the squash is roasting, rinse quinoa under cold water until water runs clear. Place quinoa and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook partially covered until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.

To assemble the salad, combine the cooked quinoa, roasted squash, cranberries, toasted pumpkin seeds in a large bowl. Add the vinaigrette and mix until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. 

For the vinaigrette, whisk all the ingredients in a small bowl until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

GlamaMama Morning Glow Bowl!

Mornings can be tough, we get it. But with this simple recipe, we're packing your morning with the fuel you need to get through the day and feel your absolute best! That's right, we're turning your average morning smoothie into an antioxidant enriched smoothie bowl! 

We're here to inspire, create and motivate you to become the best version of yourself. We make a choice every morning to make it a great day! Having a conscious positive attitude will translate into your every day actions and leave you feeling happier and healthier.

The flavors are just as explosive as the beautiful bright colors! 

Start your morning with the GlamaMama Morning Glow Bowl:

1 serving | 5 minutes

• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 cup spinach

Bowl Toppers (Optional - use all or just a few!)

• 1/2 fresh banana, sliced
• fresh raspberries
• fresh blackberries
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon coconut flakes
• strawberries

Combine all ingredients into a blender and mix until completely smooth. Pour into a bowl and add your desired toppings. 

SAMPLE SALE!

We are overjoyed at how many people are embracing the THINLY effect! Since we want everyone to be able to try our amazing flavors and feel their best, we're offering a sample sale!

For only $9.95 you'll receive a 3 day supply of all seven flavors, so you can try them all and tell us your favorites! Order HERE.

Five benefits of choosing THINLY loose leaf tea

1. Greater Health Benefits - Loose tea consists of larger leaves so more of its powerful catechin antioxidants and plentiful plant polyphenols are in your cup! Simply put - you get more of the goodies that tea is noted for, health benefits! Tea can help prevent certain cancers, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, aid in weight loss, and boost the immune system. Tea brewed by the bag contains fewer of these properties.

2. Better Aroma & Flavor - Loose tea has more surface area than the "tea dust" (fannings) that go into bags. The larger the leaves, the more natural oils you get to steep out of them, and this of course means great flavor, along with a pleasant scent! Loose leaf will have a nice fresh and clean taste, and depending on the variety may taste sweet, floral, vegetal, malty, or earthy along with many other distinct nuances. Bagged tea will almost always taste bitter, old, stale, fuzzy, and muddy, and will leave you with a funny aroma that doesn't promise much. Bags will add a color to your cup, but not much after that! Clear enough? 

3. Freshness! - A big advantage loose leaf has over bagged tea is the age factor. In order for tea to have a good quality, it must be young and fresh. Did you ever wonder how old those bags are? It is recommended that all tea is enjoyed within the first 6 to 8 months of the flush. THINLY'S formulated blends are straight from the premium high elevation tea farms in Japan. We offer a premium fresh product with maximized health and youth boosting effects. 

4.  Variety - Tea in general is broken into four main types, white, green, oolong, and black. Each main classification yields hundreds of varieties since many cultures around the world cultivate and process them. Our formulated blends are unique to target unwanted fat cells, stress, bloating and toxins. Our three-step approach maximizes results and will leave you feeling and looking your absolute best!   

5. Gifts for everyone! - Give a gift that will enhance someone's life. It is no doubt that everyone welcomes gourmet food as a present! Loose tea will always impress guests when served, or make a friend or family member feel special when received as a gift. Including some sample varieties along with some steeping equipment, like our THINLY glass tea vessel, is a perfect way to introduce someone to a new habit that is actually good for them!
 

Sip your way to THINLY and share your story! 

Branzino- Perfect for Spring

I thought it would be great to share one of my go-to recipes for dinnertime with you all. Fish is so wonderful during the spring and summer months, and is super quick to make. We should be enjoying these long sunny days, not slaving in the kitchen, right?! :)

This is an impressive, full of flavor Branzino dish that I love to make for guests, or for me and my hubby when we are having a night in together.

Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients: (4) 6-oz Branzino fillets 2 lbs red potatoes 1 lb broccoli rabe 1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil 2 sliced garlic cloves 1/2 tsp rosemary Sea salt Pepper, to taste

1. Rinse branzino filets, and run your hand over them to check for any bones.

Be extra careful when doing this! You don't want anyone accidentally getting stuck with a bone! Fish should always be firm in texture, not dull in color and smell fresh from the ocean, not "fishy" as they say.

2. Brush extra virgin olive oil on each filet and season with sea salt and pepper.

Freshly cracked black pepper is always best and adds great texture.

3. Grill both sides for 3 minutes.

Start skin side down to create a nice crust on the fish.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook broccoli rabe for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a bowl of ice cold water.

You want to make sure you don't overcook the broccoli rabe. Don't walk away! You still want the broccoli rabe to maintain it's beautiful green color. By putting it in the ice water you stop the cooking and preserve the color.

5. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil and 2 garlic cloves.

You don't want to burn the garlic, so just brown until lightly golden. 

6. Add broccoli rabe into skillet and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

You want them to blend with the gorgeous garlicy goodness you just created!

7. In a large roasting pan, spread cubed potatoes evenly, and drizzle extra virgin olive oil over the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove stems from rosemary and sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes at 400 degrees F.

This side dish is great paired with pork chops, or actually, ANYTHING! So keep this one handy! I suggest beginning cooking with dish first so that you are able to time yourself in the kitchen when putting the complete dish together.

ENJOY! I know you're gonna love it! Feel free to comment with your questions or sharing your experience.

Morning Kick Starter!

Spring is on its way! We've all gotten cozy and bundled behind our coats, but it seems as though now is probably a good time to start planning for that lighter, healthier, body.

Here's a great low-sugar, cold-pressed juice I do every morning to start my day off right. It's energizing, great for your skin and overall total body. What could be better than that? Just a quick, fresh juice in the morning will give you loads of nutrients, fill you up, and give you the energy to start your day off right. Plus, you'll curb all those pastries and sugary delights first thing in the morning! Don't worry, one for dessert later won't hurt ;)

Morning Kick Starter 

1 Green Apple

1 Bunch Kale

2 Handful Spinach

4 Celery Stalks

1/2 Lemon

1 slice Watermelon

Hope this morning juice becomes a part of your routine as it is mine! Don't forget to experiment with other fresh vegetables and fruits that you like. Your local farmer's market is a great place to see what's in season and how you can add a little spin to your favorite morning juice or smoothie. Enjoy!

-Chef K

Leftover Pumpkin

Leftover pumpkins from the holidays? Don't throw them out! Those gorgeous orange beauties are waiting to be transformed into pumpkin bread, pasta fillings (my favorite) like my pumpkin cannelloni that I served up this year for Thanksgiving and even creamy pumpkin soup to name a few! I love keeping pumpkin puree in the freezer so that I can use them in my recipes all year round. Follow this easy recipe to learn how to cook up your leftover pumpkins! Promise you'll thank me later ;)

 Ingredients

• 2 whole Small Pumpkins

Preparation Instructions

Select a couple of smaller sized pumpkins. Cut the pumpkin in half. With a spoon or a scoop, scrape out the seeds and pulp from the center. You don't have to be too thorough with this.

Place all the seeds into a bowl (you can roast them later and make pepitas for a healthy snack). Repeat until all the pumpkin pieces are largely free of seeds and pulp.

Place pumpkin pieces on a baking sheet (face up or face down) and roast in a 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until pumpkin is fork-tender. They should be nice and light golden brown when done.

Peel off the skin from the pumpkin pieces until you have a big pile of the stuff. If you have a food processor, throw in a few chunks at a time. A blender will work, too, if you add a little water. Or you can simply mash it up with a potato masher, or move it through a potato ricer, or process it through a food mill.

Pulse the pumpkin until smooth. If it looks too dry, add in a few tablespoons of water during the pulsing to give it the needed moisture. (Note, if the puree is overly watery, you should strain it on cheesecloth or over a fine mesh strainer to get rid of some of the liquid.)

Dump the pureed goodness into a bowl, and continue pureeing until all the pumpkin is done.

You can either use this immediately in whatever pumpkin recipe you’d like, or store it in the freezer for later use.

To store in the freezer, spoon about 1 cupful of pumpkin into each plastic storage bag. Seal the bag with just a tiny bit of an opening remaining, then use your hands to flatten out the pumpkin inside the bag and push out the air. Store them in the freezer until you need them.

Hope you all of you try this easy recipe at home and use those pumpkins!

-Chef K

Pesto!

I love a good, old fashioned pesto on my pasta. But sometimes, it’s good to mix it up and have a little fun with the classic sauce. To jazz up any dinner, try drizzling pesto over veggies, poultry, and fish. You could also spread it over some bread and enjoy it as a modified version of bruschetta or as a replacement for mayo on a sandwiches, for a nice healthy substitute.

You can also switch up the recipe altogether. For example, you can substitute the basil for spinach, broccoli rabe, or arugula for a zesty flavor. Another creative substitution is to make pesto with parsley and almonds or walnuts instead of the classic basil and pesto. Serve with some angel hair pasta and you’ll wonder why it took you so long to try! Also, if you have leftover pesto of any kind, mix with some red-wine vinegar and pour over salad mix for a tasty lunch!

-Chef K