Are you craving something a little lighter after the season’s festivities? Have you resolved to eat healthier? To try more whole grains? To have more fruits and vegetables? We’ve got you covered.

This delicious salad is a great introduction to quinoa for the uninitiated, or a new way to enjoy it for those of you who are already fans.

Quinoa (that’s it, uncooked, pictured in this post) is a a recently rediscovered ancient grain native to South America. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods website, which I visited to do a little fact checking for this post, it is high in protein, and it supplies  complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a good choice for vegans concerned about getting enough protein. Quinoa also has a significant amount of the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair, meaning it will help you recover from all those hours you’re planning to log at the gym this January. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. The WHF website says that because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, folate, and phosphorus, this “grain” may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis. It’s also gluten-free!

You’ll cook quinoa as a substitute for rice or pasta in many dishes. It cooks quickly on the stovetop (similar to white rice – takes about 15 minutes), and is really quite delicious.

You’ll find it in the organic section of most grocery stores  near the rice and pasta, or you can buy it in the bulk bins at places like Whole Foods. Costco also sells a BIG bag of it at a really good value if you find that you’re cooking quinoa frequently.

Okay, enough about the star ingredient and on to the recipe! Give this one a whirl and let me know what you think in comments…

Pear-Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

makes 6-side dish  or 4-main dish servings

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup quinoa (rinsed if necessary)

2 ripe but firm pears, diced

2 handfuls baby spinach, washed and drained

handful dried cranberries

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dressing:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (the real thing, please!)

Directions:

1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook unit the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.Fluff with a fork.

2. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup together. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine diced pears, spinach, and parsley. Pour dressing over and toss to combine. Add quinoa, dried cranberries, walnuts, salt & pepper, and gently combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Christmas morning is one of those incredible events in which the excitement can’t be contained and thus  bubbles over to the surrounding hours of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with effervescent glee. With anticipation at its peak and children waking at ungodly hours of the morning, the least I can do is provide a few suggestions for getting your day off to a smooth start breakfast-wise. In our  house, I’ve settled into a few routines to keep things on track so I can focus on those exuberant smiles and sparkling eyes as gifts are joyously unwrapped. Here goes.

1 – Christmas Eve is your moment. Once the cookies have been set out for Santa and the carrots chopped for the reindeer (you didn’t think they ate them WHOLE, did you?), turn your attention to setting the stage for Christmas morning.

Set up the coffeepot so it will brew at the push of a button when you awake. Set the table with Christmas dishes and napkins. Cut up a bowl of fruit and put it in the fridge along with glasses of juice. You want to be MINUTES away from a set breakfast table when you are ready to eat.

2 – Try a make-ahead breakfast casserole that you simply pop in the oven on Christmas morning. There are hundreds of good ones out there. I’m including a French Toast Casserole here that I’ve adapted from an old Cooking Light recipe. If you’d prefer something savory, try an egg casserole instead.The key is to pick one you can make the night before so you’re not scrambling eggs and cutting melon while everyone else is playing with the new iPad!

3 – Be flexible on the timing. Breakfast is clearly not the top priority on Christmas morning, so stay flexible about when you actually sit down to eat. When it’s finally time, you’ll be able to enjoy it with everyone else thanks to the prep work you did in advance!

Wishing you and yours a very merry Christmas morning!

Christmas Morning French Toast Casserole

serves 12

adapted from Cooking Light

Ingredients:

10 cups (1-inch) cubed sturdy white bread (I like Pepperidge Farm Hearty White for this)

1 (8 oz.) block neufchatel cheese (reduced fat cream cheese)

8 large eggs

1.5  cups skim or 2% milk

2/3 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup pure maple syrup (BIG flavor difference vs. artificial maple syrup)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Place bread cubes in a lightly greased 9X13 inch baking dish. With a mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time.. Add milk, half-and-half, 1/2 cup maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over bread; cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove casserole from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Top with chopped pecans if desired.

3. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until set. Sprinkle the souffle with sifted powdered sugar if desired.