Super colorful and crazy fun.

That’s the best way to describe these rainbow sandwich cookies. They’re sugar cookies studded with marshmallows from a box of my childhood favorite cereal – Lucky Charms!

Cookies, magical marshmallows and frosting, OH MY! Rolling the dough in crushed Lucky Charms marshmallows makes the cookies pop with color. Sandwich 2 cookies together with a layer of fluffy frosting and you’ve got an over-the-top fun cookie! I tinted the frosting in rainbow colors to match the marshmallows. (P.S. Even the frosting is made with marshmallow creme!)

Lucky Charms Rainbow Sandwich Cookies

Cookies
1 1/2 cups marshmallows from Lucky Charms cereal
1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
Butter and egg called for on cookie mix pouch for drop cookies
Frosting
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cup powdered sugar
Red, yellow, green and blue liquid food colors, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place marshmallows in resealable food-storage plastic bag. Using rolling pin or wooden spoon, crush marshmallows into small pieces (but not powder). Pour into small bowl.

In medium bowl, stir together cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Shape dough into 36 (1 1/4-inch) balls. Roll each ball in marshmallow pieces, pressing gently to get marshmallow pieces to stick. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set and light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat marshmallow creme and 2/3 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Beat in powdered sugar on low speed until fluffy and creamy. Divide frosting evenly into 6 small bowls. Add desired food color(s) to each to make rainbow colors.

For each cookie sandwich, spread desired color of frosting on bottom of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press cookies together.

Prep Time: 1 Hour | Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes | Makes: 18 sandwich cookies

Feeling lucky? Feeling inspired? Check out these recipes:

• Lucky Charms White Russians from Brit + Co
• Lucky Rainbow Chex Mix from Tablespoon
• Lucky Charms Cake Pop from Paperplanes and Maryjanes
• White Chocolate Lucky Charms Treats from Sallys Baking Addiction
• Lucky Charms Blizzard from Sweet Treats and More

Chia seed pudding is one of those foods I’m not sure whether to call breakfast or dessert. This version is full of some of my favorite breakfast foods, like yogurt and fruit, but it also manages to be just sweet enough to satisfy those post-dinner dessert cravings.

This chia pudding recipe gets a little lift in the sophistication category with the addition of homemade raspberry compote made with frozen raspberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar and a touch of vanilla. Simmering the mixture on the stovetop reduces the liquid and gives the mixture a thick, jam-like consistency. Feel free to substitute your favorite berry, such as blueberries, blackberries or strawberries.

Chia Pudding with Raspberry Compote

Ingredients

Raspberry Compote
1 package (10 ounces) Cascadian Farm organic frozen red raspberries
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Chia Pudding
2 cups milk
3/4 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

Garnishes:
Unsweetened coconut flakes
Toasted chopped pecans

Directions

In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, balsamic vinegar, sugar and vanilla. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, 12 to 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened and has a jam-like consistency. Cool 20 minutes or until room temperature.

Meanwhile, in small mixing bowl, combine milk, chia seeds, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir until well combined. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes or until mixture is thickened. Stir in the yogurt.

To assemble, divide chia mixture among four bowls. Top with some of the berry compote, coconut flakes and chopped pecans.

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 40 minutes | Servings: 4

Here are some other sweet chia recipes to try:

• Vanilla Chia Pudding from Pastry Affair
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Creamy Chia Pudding from Edible Perspective
• Chocolate Coconut Mousse from The Dabblist

I love baking beautiful cakes but these days my cake baking is usually reserved for special occasions like birthdays and dinner parties. But lately, I’ve discovered how easy cake baking can be when you have a great one-bowl recipe.

What makes this yogurt cake so easy is the yogurt cup itself. Instead of pulling out a bunch of different measuring cups, the yogurt cup functions as the measuring vessel for the sugar, oil and flour in the recipe. Use a small rubber spatula to scrape the ingredients out of the yogurt container between ingredients but don’t be too concerned with getting the amounts just right. I find that this cake is incredibly forgiving, so if you don’t quite level off the container or add just the right amount of oil, it will still turn out beautifully.

I’ve made this ultra-easy, flavorful lime, pistachio and olive oil yogurt cake multiple times over the past month to rave reviews from friends and family. Made with coconut Greek yogurt, full-flavored olive oil and a touch of lime zest, the cake itself is incredibly moist and pleasantly sweet. A thin powdered sugar glaze made with lime juice and a garnish of salty pistachios is the perfect finishing tough. Since the cake isn’t overly sweet and simply glazed, I’ve found it works well as a light dessert, afternoon coffee cake or as part of a brunch spread.

Olive Oil-Yogurt Cake with Pistachios

Ingredients

Cake
2 containers (5.3 ounces each) Yoplait Greek blended coconut yogurt
2 containers granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
1 container full-flavored olive oil (3/4 cup)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lime zest
3 containers all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
1 tablespoon baking powder

Icing
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Juice from 1/2 of a lime
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk

Garnish
Lime zest and chopped shelled pistachios

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray two 8- or 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray.

In large bowl with an electric mixer, mix together the yogurt, sugar and oil until well combined. Add in the eggs, one at a time, until eggs are incorporated, followed by the 1 tablespoon lime zest. Beat the flour and baking powder into the wet ingredients until batter is smooth, about 1 minute. Divide batter between pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until deep golden brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and turn cakes onto serving platters.

In small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, lime juice and cream or milk. Drizzle mixture over warm cakes. Top with additional lime zest and chopped pistachios. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tip: Use the empty yogurt container to measure the granulated sugar, olive oil and flour.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Total Time: 1 Hour | Makes: 2 cakes (16 servings)

Delicious links to try:

• Roasted Bananas with Cacao Nibs and Pistachios from The Year in Food
• Greek Yogurt Olive Oil Pound Cake from Sweet Sillianah
• Almond Pistachio Frozen Yogurt from Nutritionist in the Kitchen

A 2014 food trend that caught my interest is cooking with tea. After doing some exploring of this trend, I found a few recipe ideas that intrigued me. One that seemed pretty easy and like something I might actually make is tea salt. The idea is that you grind up loose leaf tea in a spice grinder, then add coarse salt and whirl it a couple of times to blend. My experiment included trying this with matcha powder, an oolong tea and a black tea. The matcha gave a fairly distinctive green tea flavor to the salt, and would be good to use on a variety of foods. But the oolong and black teas were really subtle. I wanted a tea salt with more flavor.

Enter Sherlock Holmes! Rumor has it that his favorite tea was lapsang souchong, a smoky tea that gets its flavor and aroma from smoke-drying over pine wood. So off to the tea store I went to get some of this mysterious tea.

The smoky aroma of the tea is pretty strong, so it seemed like it would make a great salt, but for what? Right about that time, I came across a recipe for tea-boiled edamame. Inspired by that idea, I made a recipe for edamame with lapsang souchong tea salt.

It’s easy to put together. First, make tea salt by grinding up lapsang souchong tea leaves with kosher salt. Then boil edamame pods in brewed tea until the beans are tender. Drain and toss with some of the smoky tea salt.

We found the tea salt made the edamame irresistable! I will be making this for a party appetizer soon. I’m already thinking about different uses for the smoky salt like sprinkling on popcorn or roasted veggies.

Edamame with Smoky Tea Salt

Ingredients

Lapsang Souchong Tea Salt
1 teaspoon loose leaf lapsang souchong tea
1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt

Edamame
1 tablespoon loose leaf lapsang souchong tea
1 bag (10 ounces) frozen edamame in the pod (we used Cascadian Farm)

Directions

In a spice grinder, grind 1 teaspoon tea leaves to a fine powder. Add salt; pulse two or three times to blend thoroughly. Set aside.

In a 2-quart saucepan, heat 1 quart water to boiling. Add 1 tablespoon tea leaves. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes to steep tea. Remove tea leaves by pouring mixture through a fine strainer, reserving brewed tea. Return brewed tea to saucepan. (You can keep the leaves to reuse for a cup or two of tea if you like the smoky flavor.)

Add edamame to tea in saucepan; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 3 minutes or until tender. Drain the edamame and place in large bowl. Immediately sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the tea salt mixture; toss to coat. Serve the remaining tea salt mixture on the side for extra sprinkling.

Prep Time: 25 Minutes | Total Time: 25 Minutes | Servings: 6

A few fragrant tea infusions to try:

• Matcha Nama Chocolate from Just One Cookbook
• Osmanthus Tea Pork Ribs from Table for 2
• Jasmine Tea Madelines from Kitchen Heals Soul
• Longan-Oolong Tea Cakes from Ancoo Journal

Spring is in the air and strawberries are at their sweetest, so what’s a girl to do? Make cake, of course! I’ve mentioned before how much I love one-bowl cakes that are big on visual appeal but low on fuss, and this Strawberries and Cream Yogurt Cake totally fits the bill. It’s big on berry flavor, thanks to fresh strawberries and strawberry jam, and super moist compliments of the Greek yogurt stirred into the batter.

Like our Olive Oil-Yogurt Cake with Pistachios, this cake uses the actual yogurt cup itself to measure the sugar, oil and flour in the recipe. This means you don’t need to dirty a lot of measuring cups during baking. And don’t worry about measuring everything perfectly. The cake batter is extremely forgiving, so if you add a little extra flour or not quite enough sugar, it will still turn out well.

Strawberries and Cream Yogurt Cake

Ingredients

2 containers (5.3 ounces each) Yoplait Greek Blended Strawberry Yogurt
2 containers granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
1 container vegetable or canola oil (3/4 cup)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
3 containers all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 1/4 cups quartered fresh strawberries
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Powdered sugar

Directions

Heat oven 350 degrees F. Spray 13×9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

In large mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt, 2 containers granulated sugar, oil and vanilla until well combined. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.

Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Beat with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until smooth.

Transfer batter to prepared baking pan, spreading into an even layer. Stir strawberry preserves until smooth. Dollop on top of cake batter. Sprinkle with the strawberries, followed by the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares to serve.

Tip: Use your empty yogurt containers to measure the ingredients in this recipe. When you’re done, there are fewer things to clean up and you can recycle the yogurt cup!

Prep Time: 15 Minutes | Total Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes | Makes: 12 to 16 servings

A couple sweet ideas to try:

• Strawberry Yogurt Mousse Cake from The Little Epicurean
• Mini Strawberry Galette from Call Me Cupcake
• Strawberry Basil Raita with Toasted Sesame Seeds from Keli Paan

Spring produce is creeping into the markets after an exceptionally long winter.  Green veggies are starting to appear and new flavors will finally grace the dinner table. It’s about time!

This tart reminds me of all things spring:  fresh asparagus, mint leaves, lemon and peas.  It truly follows the old adage “What grows together, goes together”.  All of these perennial favorites come together in a delicious starter that’s perfect for the few weeks when asparagus is at its best.  Even better, the puff pastry pieces can be baked ahead so that the tarts can be assembled super quickly at the last minute.

Shaved Asparagus and Goat Cheese Tarts

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
6 tablespoons soft goat cheese (chèvre)
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1/2 bunch fresh asparagus, bottom two inches removed, shaved into thin strips (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup cooked and cooled sweet peas (we used Green Giant)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Carefully unfold thawed sheet of puff pastry. If necessary, use rolling pin to flatten any edges and smooth out dough. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut puff pastry into 6 even rectangles. Prick pastry with fork. Place on lined baking sheet a few inches apart.  Brush with beaten egg.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Set baking sheet on cooling rack; cool at least 10 minutes.
 Meanwhile, combine goat cheese, cream and lemon peel in a small bowl; stir well. In a medium bowl, combine shaved asparagus, peas, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and mint.

Spread 1 tablespoon goat cheese mixture in center of each tart. Top with some of the asparagus mixture and finish with freshly cracked black pepper on top.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes |  Total Time: 30 Minutes | Makes: 6 tarts

Here are a few asparagus and spring tart ideas we can’t wait to try:

• Marinated Feta, Zucchini, Pea and Mint Tart from Greedy Gourmand
• Asparagus and Gruyere Tart from Full Fork Ahead
• Sweet Potato Brûlée Tart with Lemon Asparagus, Pea, Mint and Feta from Cook Eat Live Vegetarian
• Asparagus, Pancetta and Parmesan Tart from Katie’s Kitchen Journal

We love putting new spins on classic recipes, but in the case of this tender, buttery shortbread, keeping it simple really is best. Make a good thing even better by sandwiching a fluffy marshmallow crème filling and fruit preserves between two cookies.

Half the fun of sandwich cookies is being able to see the filling inside. Adding a cutout to the top cookie allows the brightly-colored preserves to peek through. We used red raspberry preserves in our cookies, but feel free to customize your cookies with your favorite flavored preserves or jam.

Raspberry Cream Shortbread Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

Fillings
3/4 cup marshmallow crème
1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons red raspberry preserves

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir 1 cup butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until well mixed. Stir in flour and salt. If necessary, use your hands to form mixture into soft dough.

Roll dough out on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut into small rounds using 1 3/4-inch round or scalloped cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheets, place rounds 1/2 inch apart. Cut mini shapes out of the center of half of the cookies, using 3/4- to 1-inch round or scalloped cookie cutters.

Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat marshmallow crème and 1/3 cup butter with electric mixer on medium speed until blended. Slowly beat in 2/3 cup powdered sugar until fluffy.

Spread about 1 1/2 teaspoons whipped frosting on bottom of each whole cookie; top with 1/2 teaspoon preserves in center.

Top each with cookie that has center cutout to make sandwich cookie.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Makes: 20 sandwich cookies

These cookies can be made up to 2 days ahead; store at room temperature in a sealed food storage bag.

Want more shortbread? Check out these recipes:

• Orange Rosemary Cornmeal Shortbread from Remedial Eating
• Cocoa Nibs Shortbread from Tartelette
• Smoked Salt and Almond Shortbread Stars from Hungry Girl por Vida
• Chocolate-Dipped Pistachio Shortbread from Local Milk

You say QUIN-OH-LA, I say KEEN-OH-LA.

Say what? Despite the popularity of quinoa, many folks have no idea how to pronounce this amazing Peruvian grain. Whichever way you say it, this new take on granola will make a delicious addition to your breakfast routine, or an awesome snack when the hunger pains start stalking you in the afternoon. My favorite way to eat quinoa granola is to sprinkle it over a cup of Greek yogurt. It makes a delicious and filling pairing.

Oh….did I mention this quinola is filled with toasted hazelnuts, coconut and chunks of chocolate? Count me in!

Chocolate Hazelnut Quinola (Quinoa Granola)

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked white quinoa
1/2 cup raw hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil, melted
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1/2 cup coarsely chopped semi-sweet chocolate

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold running water; drain well. Transfer quinoa to clean kitchen towel; pat dry to remove any excess moisture.

In a medium bowl, combine rinsed and dried quiona, hazelnuts, coconut and salt. Drizzle with melted coconut oil and maple syrup, stir well to combine.

Spread quinoa mixture on lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until quinoa is starting to turn golden brown, stirring after 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Stir chopped chocolate into cooled quinola.

To serve, sprinkle over your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt (my favorites are coconut and vanilla). Store quinola in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: In this recipe, it’s important to rinse and dry the quinoa. Rinsing quinoa removes the natural bitter enzyme on the surface of the grain. Draining well and drying the quinoa allows the grain to toast in the oven rather than steam. The result is a crunchy, granola-like texture.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 20 Minutes | Makes: about 2 cups

Hola Granola! Here are some recipes to check out:

• Chickpea Granola Bars from Have Cake Will Travel
• Chocolate Kamut Granola from Rock Recipes
• Citrus Summer Lentil Granola from Healthful Pursuit
• Coconut Oat-Millet Granola from Eat Your Greens

When you work in a test kitchen, it is interesting to observe which recipes people flock to. One might guess that when cake or cookies or brownies are put out for sampling, they would be the first to go. No, not even close. In our Kitchens, it’s guacamole that goes the fastest. So for this year’s Cinco de Mayo, we are celebrating our favorite dish by sharing three fabulous guacamole recipes.  We think they’ll disappear from your table just as quick as they vanish from ours.

Super Simple Guacamole

Short on ingredients, but not on taste, this basic recipe for guac is downright delish. Believe it or not, you don’t need to add spice to guacamole.  Perfect for using as a condiment or as an ingredient, say, in guac-stuffed enchiladas. This is sure to be a staple in your house.

Ingredients

3 ripe avocados
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Slice avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out flesh into a large bowl. Smash with a potato masher until as chunky or smooth as desired.

Rinse chopped onion with cold water in a fine mesh strainer. Stir onion and remaining ingredients into mashed avocado. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tip: Rinsing onion is a great idea when making guacamole. The rinsing removes the somewhat strong onion flavor that can permeate the dip. It’s a great tip for dishes that use raw onion.

Livia’s Guacamole

This version is inspired by Livia, a wonderful woman who worked in our Kitchens for many years. She was born in Peru, and loved to share the food that she grew up with. Although she retired from her job in our Kitchens, the legend of her guacamole continues!

Ingredients

3 ripe avocados
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (enough to give a hint of heat)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco

Directions

Slice avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out flesh into a large bowl. Smash with a potato masher until as chunky or smooth as desired.

Rinse chopped onion with cold water in a fine mesh strainer. Stir onion and remaining ingredients into mashed avocado, reserving some queso fresco for garnishing on top. Serve with tortilla chips.

Elote Guacamole

This version is inspired by elote, the famous street corn found in Mexico. Elote is fresh corn on the cob that’s grilled and slathered with mayo and cotija cheese, and then sprinkled with a bit of chile powder.

Ingredients

3 ripe avocados
1/4 cup finely chopped white onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (enough to give a hint of heat)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 ear of fresh corn, grilled and cut off into kernels (about 3/4 cup)
1/3 finely crumbled cotija cheese
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder

Directions

Slice avocados in half, remove the pit, and scoop out flesh into a large bowl. Smash with a potato masher until as chunky or smooth as desired.

Rinse chopped onion with cold water in a fine mesh strainer. Stir onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and salt into mashed avocado. Stir in grilled corn kernels and cotija cheese, reserving some for garnishing on top. After garnishing guacamole, sprinkle with ancho chile powder. Serve with tortilla chips.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 10 Minutes | Servings: 6

 Recipes to Guac At (Ha, get it?):

• Kale Guacamole from Honest Cooking
• Margarita Guacamole from Half Baked Harvest
• Tequila Spiked Guacamole from A Thought for Food
• Smashed Pea Guacamole with Cilantro, Ginger and Lime from Food52
• Mango-Pomegranate Guacamole from A Cup of Jo

As the weather warms up, it leaves me with a serious craving for big, fresh, crunchy salads. Sometimes when I’m keeping things simple I’ll even serve a big salad to friends who come over for dinner on weeknights. It’s such an easy way to pack in a bunch of veggies and a variety of flavors in a single dish.

This Thai Chicken and Kale Chopped Salad was born out of my love for both kale and Thai peanut dressing. Most Thai chicken salads are strictly cabbage-based, but everyone in our kitchens really loved the contrast of the crunchy cabbage with the slightly softer, leafy kale. Since I am not a fan of overly-dressed salads, this recipe makes just enough dressing to pleasantly coat the salad ingredients without weighing the salad down. And I think you’ll find it packs just the right amount of heat.

To speed things up, I suggest chopping all the veggies and making the dressing ahead of time. Then, right before you plan to serve the salad, toss all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl and drizzle with the dressing.

Thai Chicken and Kale Chopped Salad

Ingredients

8 cups finely chopped kale leaves (1 bunch, stems removed)
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups shredded green cabbage
2 cups deli rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 large carrots, shredded
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 medium green onions, sliced

Dressing

1/3 cup water
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Thai red chile paste
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the kale and olive oil. Massage the olive oil into the kale with your hands 1 to 2 minutes until kale is softened slightly. Add cabbage, chicken, carrots, peanuts, cilantro and green onions to the mixing bowl.

In a small saucepan, combine all the dressing ingredients. Whisk constantly over medium-low heat about 3 minutes or until smooth and slightly thickened. Cool dressing 10 to 15 minutes. (Makes about 2/3 cup dressing.)

To serve, drizzle cooled dressing over salad and toss to combine.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes Total Time: 45 Minutes | Servings: 4

A few fresh and tasty salads to check out:

• Broccoli Salad with Blueberries and Honey-Toasted Walnuts from The Roasted Root
• Spring Chopped Salad from Not Without Salt
• Chopped Salad with Buttermilk-Peppercorn Dressing Recipe from Aida Mollenkamp
• Chopped Kale Salad with Edamame, Carrot and Avocado from Cookie + Kate

Chocolate chip cookies are great, but chocolate chip cookies stuffed with cookie dough frosting are amazing!

These Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies are a major win in terms of ease, taste and general crowd appeal. And I’ve found that kids and adults alike are drawn to the idea of cookie dough inside cookies. What’s not to love? We used refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough as the base for these sandwiches and filled them with a homemade faux cookie dough mixture made without raw eggs or flour that is totally delicious!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients

1 roll (16.3 ounces) Pillsbury refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape rounded teaspoons of cookie dough into balls to make 60 balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on 2 large cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Bake each sheet 7 to 10 minutes or until golden brown around the edges. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in the brown sugar, vanilla and salt until well combined. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand.

For each sandwich cookie, spread some frosting on bottom of 1 cookie.

Top with second cookie, bottom side down; gently press cookies together. Store the sandwich cookies and any remaining frosting in the refrigerator. The cookie dough frosting is also great as a dip served with sliced apples.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Total Time: 50 Minutes | Makes: 30 sandwich cookies

Hungry for more sandwich cookies?

• Peanut Butter & Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies from Bakers Royale
• Ginger Cookies with Orange Buttercream from Minimalist Baker
• Chocolate-Espresso & Caramel Sandwich Cookies from Tutti Dolce
• Vegan Snickerdoodles with Vanilla-Banana Ice Cream from Our Four Forks

My first experience with muesli was during college on a trip to Spain with my family. I remember being so confused by the concept. Raw oats for breakfast? I was pretty sure they forgot to cook the oatmeal. Once I realized you were supposed to soak the oats in milk or yogurt I started to fall in love with muesli, so much so that I got really into making my own muesli mix at home when I returned from our trip.

This Gluten-Free Oat & Chex Muesli Mix is my new go-to recipe when making muesli at home. The highlight of this recipe is the mixture of flavors and textures that come from the oats, Honey Nut Chex cereal, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. This recipe works well when stirred into yogurt, served with milk or even eaten by the handful on the go. Since the recipe makes a lot of muesli, make sure to store your extra muesli in a sealable storage container.

Gluten-Free Oat & Chex Muesli Mix

Ingredients

3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
2 cups Honey Nut Chex cereal
1/2 cup unsalted almonds, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1 (3 ounce) package dried apple rings, chopped
1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place oats on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until oats are slightly toasted. Cool completely, about 15 minutes. In large bowl, combine toasted oats, Honey Nut Chex, almonds, raisins, cranberries, chopped apple rings, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Toss to combine. Store tightly covered.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 30 Minutes | Makes: about 8 cups (16 servings)

Tip: Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.
Other muesli inspired recipes to try:

• Lime and Cinnamon Muesli Bars from The Krooked Spoon
• Summer Bircher Muesli from Highgate Hill Kitchen
• Coconut Muesli from Betty Bake

Frozen treats are one of my favorite signs of summer. I love creating homemade frozen desserts like ice cream and fro-yo. My latest creation is Matcha Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches. What could be better than creamy matcha tea frozen yogurt sandwiched between dark chocolate brownie cookies? It takes the humble ice cream sandwich to a delicious new level.

The cookies are made with dark chocolate fudge brownie mix, and the beautiful green frozen yogurt is a snap to make by combining Greek yogurt, sweetened condensed milk and matcha tea powder. Matcha gives the intense green color to the frozen yogurt and an interesting, almost earthy, flavor. The combination of the green tea frozen yogurt with the dark chocolate brownie cookies is delicious!


The recipe makes 24 mini fro-yo sandwiches plus a bonus pan of brownies to serve another time.

Matcha Frozen Yogurt Sandwiches

Ingredients

Matcha Frozen Yogurt
3 containers (5.3 ounces each) Yoplait vanilla blended Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons matcha tea powder
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) (from 14 ounce can)

Cookies
1 box (19.9 ounces) Betty Crocker dark chocolate brownie mix
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water

Directions

Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving edges of foil hanging over sides of pan. In medium bowl, mix yogurt and matcha powder with wire whisk until thoroughly blended; stir in condensed milk until smooth.

Spread evenly in foil-lined pan. Freeze at least 3 hours or until firm.

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Spray bottom only of 8×8-inch square pan. In large bowl, stir brownie mix and flour until well mixed. Stir in oil, eggs and water until dough forms. Drop dough by level measuring teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets to make 48 cookies. Spread remaining batter in sprayed square pan; set aside.

Bake cookies 6 to 8 minutes or until tops appear crinkled and dry but cookies are still soft when touched. Do not overbake. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes; remove to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Bake batter in pan 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely. Cover and reserve for another use.

When matcha yogurt mixture is frozen, using foil, lift from pan; invert onto cutting board. Remove foil. Using a 2-inch round metal cookie cutter, cut frozen yogurt mixture into 24 rounds. Place cut rounds back into parchment paper lined baking pan so you can return them to the freezer if they start to get soft. Freeze until firm.

To make sandwiches, place one frozen yogurt round between flat sides of two brownie cookies. Return sandwiches to freezer. Store well covered in freezer.

Prep Time: 55 Minutes | Total Time: 3 Hours 20 Minutes | Makes: 24

Tip: The matcha yogurt needs to be frozen solid when making the sandwiches. For best results, set your freezer to the coldest setting so the temperature is close to 0°F. Since the frozen yogurt mixture melts quickly, make and freeze only about a third of the sandwiches at a time.

About Matcha Tea: Matcha is made by grinding green tea leaves into a fine powder. Because the entire tea leaf is consumed, it contributes an intensity of flavor and color when added to a recipe. Find it at tea shops and well-stocked grocery stores.

A few other tea-riffic ideas to try:

• Osmanthus Tea Ribs from Table for 2
• Tea Smoked Duck Breast from Leite’s Culinaria
• Matcha Green Tea Swiss Roll from The Little Epicurean
• Homemade Green Tea Pocky from Thirsty for Tea
• Overnight Matcha Steel Cut Oatmeal from Memento Bracelet

Avocados are sweeping the nation. Once considered a gourmet food, these delectable fruits can be found in everything from baby food to burger toppings. I couldn’t be happier, because avocados make just about everything fabulous.

In celebration of summer and all things fresh, I decided to do a mash-up of flavors using avocado, strawberries, basil and quinoa. It may sound like an odd combo, but is absolutely delish and, even better, looks gorgeous! Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed.

Strawberry-Avocado Quinoa Salad Bowl

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
2 avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
4 ounces fresh goat cheese (chevre), crumbled

Directions

Rinse quinoa under running water in a fine mesh strainer. Add rinsed quinoa to a small saucepan and cover with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Spoon cooked quinoa into a large bowl and let cool.

For the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil and salt.

Once quinoa is cool, drizzle with the lime dressing and toss to combine. Arrange strawberries, avocado, basil and goat cheese over quinoa mixture.
 When ready to serve, toss salad to combine. If desired, serve with lime wedges.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Total Time: 30 Minutes | Makes: 8 cups

Check out these other berry-delicious ideas:

• Berry & Avocado Salad with Cilantro Dressing from Beard + Bonnet
• Blackberry Jam and Custard Donuts from The Sugar Hit
• Strawberry Hi-Hat Cupcakes from Molly Yeh
• Blueberry Basil Smash from Stir and Strain

Brownies are one of my favorite summertime treats! They can be made ahead, popped in a picnic basket, and enjoyed on the beach or around the campfire or really anywhere summer takes you.

Similar to a flourless chocolate cake, these brownies are rich and totally irresistible. They are big on chocolate flavor and have a light, yet decadent texture that keeps you coming back for one more bite. As an added bonus, they are super easy to make.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
1/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil*
1 cup dark chocolate chips
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with baking parchment paper, leaving 2-inches of parchment hanging over sides of pan. Brush parchment lightly with a small amount of coconut oil.
 In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar and baking cocoa until well blended. In a medium microwaveable bowl, microwave 1/4 cup coconut oil and chocolate chips for 2 minutes on High, stirring every 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in brown sugar and cocoa mixture until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; stir until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan.
 Bake 38 to 42 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Lift brownies from pan using parchment paper. Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows to get 16 squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 2 Hours 25 Minutes | Servings: 16

Tip: These aren’t your typical brownies! Be sure to line the pan with parchment paper and brush with a bit of coconut oil so that the brownies don’t stick.

*Unrefined virgin coconut oil gives these brownies a hint of coconut flavor. If you prefer, you can use neutral flavored refined coconut oil.

A few other flourless goodies to check out:

• Flourless Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake from Hummingbird High
• Almond Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins from Running with Spoons
• Peanut Butter Mug Cake from Kirbie’s Cravings
• Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Flourless Cake from Cakelets and Doilies

Pizza is one of my very favorite foods. I never get tired of it because there are so many ways to switch up the toppings. Take this Spicy Avocado and Roasted Mushroom Pizza- it’s a totally new spin on the salad pizza.

Instead of traditional pizza sauce, we brushed the crust with sambal oelek chili sauce. Sambal oelek can be found in the grocery store near the Sriracha sauce. The spicy and super flavorful sambal sauce goes really well with the roasted mushrooms on this pizza!
To balance out the spice we amped up the freshness by adding cilantro, green onions and avocado. The fresh salad topper gives the pizza layers of flavor with just the right amount of fresh and spicy. Plus, everything tastes better with avocado.

Spicy Avocado and Roasted Mushroom Pizza

Ingredients

Pizza
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 package (8 ounces) baby portabella (cremini) mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 can Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust
1 tablespoon sambal oelek chili sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
Fresh Topping
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sambal oelek chili sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, thinly sliced and cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup torn fresh cilantro
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. In a medium bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 teaspoons soy sauce until combined. Toss mushrooms with olive oil mixture.  Spoon mushrooms on ungreased baking pan with sides.

Grease 15×10-inch or larger dark or nonstick baking pan with cooking spray. Unroll dough on pan; starting at center, press dough into 15×10-inch rectangle.

Place both pizza crust and mushrooms in the oven on separate racks. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until crust is light golden brown and mushrooms are tender.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, 1 tablespoon of the sambal sauce, lime juice and soy sauce with whisk until well combined. Gently add avocado, tossing lightly to coat. Place cilantro and green onions on top of warm pizza. Top with avocado slices. Drizzle with any remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Total Time: 35 Minutes | Servings: 6

A few sambal ideas to check out:

• Ikan Panggang from Rasa Malaysia
• Sambal Chicken Skewers from Bon Appetit
• Thai Drunken Noodles from A Spicy Perspective
• Sambal Salsa and Black Bean Tacos from Love & Lemons

7, 7, 7, 3. That’s it.

That’s all you have to remember to host a successful shrimp and mudbug boil. But we’ll get back to that.

Where I’m from, if you were having a crawfish boil, you’d double dose the boiling water with the spice mix. You’d buy 3 pounds of bugs per person. And you most certainly wouldn’t add shrimp.

But I’m the only Mississippi girl where I work, and I’m most assuredly the only one who would consider 3 pounds of crawfish an appropriate serving size. So, you can think of this recipe as “crawfish for beginners” though it’ll still make you look like a fearless shellfish-wrangling superstar. Let’s get this party started.

First you’ll want to prep all your ingredients. Sure, cut the onions and lemons and have them ready to go. But the ingredient that requires the most prep is the crawfish.

They might be a little sluggish from their travels, and they could be a little dirty too. So a nice cool bath is just the thing they need. Fill a clean sink with cold water and gently dump the crawfish in.

Move them around a bit. They get cleanest by agitating them and lifting them out. It’s a bit like cleaning leeks. Moving, snapping shellfish-shaped leeks. You might want to wear thick rubber gloves, since crawfish can get cranky, and no one likes to get pinched. Lift them out and place them in a large bowl or storage container. If they come all the way to the top, they might crawl on top of each other and escape, so keep an eye on them. Moving on.
A crawfish boil can get messy, so I recommend doing your boiling outside. Start by filling an extremely large pot (like a turkey fryer) fitted with a strainer halfway with water; bring to a boil. Add onion, lemon, boil in the bag seasoning and a generous amount of salt. Cover and return to a boil.
Add potatoes, cover and cook 7 minutes.
Add sausage and crawfish, cover and cook 7 minutes.
Add corn, cover and cook 7 minutes.
Add shrimp, cover and cook 3 minutes. 7+7+7+3. Easy as can be!

Use strainer to remove shrimp and crawfish boil from the water. Serve with cocktail sauce, clarified butter and hot sauce. And beer, if you want to do it right.

To eat the crawfish, separate the head from the tail with one twist. Break off the top segment (nearest the head), then break open just as you would shell a shrimp. Pinch the tail gently, then pull out the meat. I prefer to go the extra mile and devein them as well, peeling them open and removing it. Add cocktail sauce, butter or hot sauce (or any combination). Eat and repeat. Oh, and don’t eat any crawfish with straight tails. If you find one of those, it was dead before it went in the pot.

Laissez les bons temps rouler, y’all!

Shrimp and Crawfish Boil

Ingredients

1 onion, quartered
1 lemon, cut into wedges
1 crawfish, shrimp and crab boil in the bag seasoning
Salt
2 pounds baby red potatoes
1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced 1/2-inch thick
5 pounds live crawfish
4 ears corn, cut into thirds
2 pounds extra large shrimp, tail on, peeled and deveined
Cocktail sauce, clarified butter and hot sauce for serving

Directions

Fill an extremely large pot (such as a turkey fryer) fitted with a strainer halfway with water; bring to a boil. Add onion, lemon, boil in the bag seasoning and a generous amount of salt. Cover and return to a boil.

Add potatoes, cover and cook 7 minutes.

Add sausage and crawfish, cover and cook 7 minutes.

Add corn, cover and cook 7 minutes.

Add shrimp, cover and cook 3 minutes.

Use strainer to remove shrimp and crawfish boil from the water. Serve immediately with cocktail sauce, clarified butter and hot sauce.

Prep Time: 1 Hour | Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes| Serves: 8

Other crawfish-related links I approve of:

• Crawfish Boil Recipe
• How to Eat Boiled Crawfish
• Crawfish Boil Recipe for 40 to 45 Pounds of Crawfish
• Crawfish Boil 101

Soccer Football is my favorite sport so this summer has been super exciting for me. When I think of summer, the first thing that I think of are hot dogs and all the delicious fixings you can put on them. I figured, why not combine a summer classic with my love of football? I came up with a few winning twists to it by topping the dogs with globally inspired toppings. Instead of sticking to the good ol’ ketchup, mustard, relish and onions, I’ve added fresh toppings inspired by Greece, South Korea and Honduras.

Let’s fire up the grill and kick-off with a Greek-inspired hot dog!

When I think Greek, I think about yogurt, feta, and other zesty ingredients.

Greek style toppings:

• Greek yogurt sauce
  • Mix together:
    • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
    • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• Matchstick cut cucumbers
• Diced tomatoes
• Feta cheese

Next up is a Korean style hot dog inspired by the key Korean ingredients like kimchi, gojuchang and green onions.

Korean style toppings:

• Gochujang mayo
  • Mix together:
    • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
    • 2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chile paste
• Kimchi
• Sliced green onions
• Fried egg

The next hot dog is inspired by baleadas, a popular Honduran street food. These tasty tortillas are traditionally filled with refried beans, crema, avocados, and a white crumbly cheese. If you take these elements, turn it into a hot dog topping, and finish it with some hot sauce, you’ll have a real winner on your hands.

Honduran style toppings:

• Refried beans
• Sour cream
• Queso fresco
• Avocado
• Hot sauce

If you ask me, all of these topping ideas are 3-point [winning] ideas!

Check out these other fun hot dog ideas!

• Tex Mex Hot Dogs by Country Cleaver
• Mexican Style Sausage Dogs by Noble Pig
• Japanese Style Hot Dog by Sea Salt with Food
• Brazilian Hot Dog by From Brazil to You

Exploring tea as an ingredient has revealed some interesting and delicious recipes! We just made this refreshing summer pitcher cocktail using jasmine green tea syrup for the base, and combining it with lemon juice, vodka and ginger beer for an adult riff on everyone’s favorite tea-lemonade drink.

We didn’t get it in one test, however. We tried a few combinations of ingredients to get to the final result: a light summer cocktail with the delicate fragrance of jasmine, enhanced by a bit of ginger.

Our first tests made it clear that the tea needs to be brewed fairly strong, but with the proper temperature of water and a short steeping time. We used a jasmine green tea—the recommended water temperature is between 160° and 180°F, and the steeping time should be no longer than 4 minutes, to avoid a bitter flavor. So we ended up using more tea leaves for a stronger jasmine flavor.

We tried both ginger ale and ginger beer to add sparkle and ginger flavor. Ginger beer pulled the flavors together better than the ginger ale, and gave a much fuller, more rounded cocktail.

Best of all, Jasmine Tea Hard Lemonade is an easy drink to make ahead and have ready for guests. Keep all the ingredients cold, and add the ginger beer and club soda to the pitcher just before serving over ice. Garnish generously with lemon slices and share with friends on a warm summer evening!

Jasmine Tea Hard Lemonade

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons jasmine green tea leaves
6 tablespoons sugar
1 cup vodka
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup ginger beer, chilled
1 cup club soda, chilled
Lemon slices

Directions

Heat water to boiling; pour into heat-safe 4-cup glass measuring cup. Let cool to 160° to 180°F. Place tea leaves into an infuser or directly into the water; let steep 4 minutes. Remove infuser or pour tea through strainer to remove leaves. Stir sugar into warm tea until dissolved.

Pour tea syrup into a large pitcher; stir in vodka and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate to cool completely, about 2 hours.

Just before serving, gently stir in ginger beer and club soda. Pour tea cocktail into glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon slices.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes | Total Time: 2 Hours 20 Minutes | Servings: 8 (about 5 ounces each)

Lemon juice brightens this cocktail, and if you can find Meyer lemons, the flavor is even more delightful!

Check out more refreshing tea drinks:

• Green Tea Cooler (Non-Alcoholic) from Betty Crocker
• Emerald Palmer (Non-Alcoholic) from Food & Wine
• Earl Grey Tea Cocktail from Sugar and Charm
• Last Call Cocktail from Food52

Remember that tasty Chocolate Hazelnut Quinola I posted a few weeks back? It disappeared very quickly…too quickly. So, I decided to make another batch of quinoa granola with a slightly more sophisticated flavor variation.

This time, I messed around with the sweet and salty flavor combo that is always so delish in recipes. Salted pistachios are a fave of mine, so I combined them with some sweet dried mango pieces and fruity olive oil. To finish it off, I added some finely grated citrus zest, because, well, that just makes everything better. Mango Pistachio Quinola- we have a winner! Check it out.

Mango Pistachio Quinola (Quinoa Granola)

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked white quinoa
1/2 cup shelled, salted pistachios
1/3 cup dried mango pieces, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse under cold running water; drain well. Transfer quinoa to clean kitchen towel; pat dry to remove any excess moisture.

In a medium bowl, combine rinsed and dried quinoa, pistachios and mango. Drizzle with olive oil and honey; stir. Sprinkle with orange peel and salt; stir well to combine.

Spread quinoa mixture on lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until quinoa is starting to turn golden brown, stirring after 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

To serve, sprinkle over your favorite flavor of Greek yogurt (my favorites are coconut and vanilla). Store quinola in an airtight container at room temperature.

Tip: In this recipe, it’s important to rinse and dry the quinoa. Rinsing quinoa removes the natural bitter enzyme on the surface of the grain. Draining well and drying the quinoa allows the grain to toast in the oven rather than steam. The result is a crunchy, granola-like texture.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes | Total Time: 20 Minutes | Makes: about 2 cups

More mango and quinoa please! Check out these recipes:

• Mango & Avocado Black Quinoa Salad from Two Peas and Their Pod
• Mango Quinoa Salad with Ginger Dressing from Box of Spice
• Guacamole Quinoa from Foxes Love Lemons