Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Culinary Underground booths at this past weekend’s Applefest in Northborough and the Spirit of Shrewsbury in Shrewsbury. We really enjoy taking our show on the road and having y’all come by to chat and nibble on samples of representative recipes from our classes. This year, we featured our classic Dessert Bruschetta of Homemade Ricotta Cheese and Five-Spice Apple Butter; Pulled Pork with Maple BBQ Sauce (in Shrewsbury); Vegetarian Chili with Spiced Pepitas (in Northborough), and Quinoa Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing. We had many requests for the latter two recipes, so here they are. Enjoy!

Quinoa, Dried Blueberry, and Cashew Salad
with Honey-Lime Dressing
(4-6 servings)

We love grains, but mushy grains are nasty; instead of the usual 2:1 ratio of water: grain, we cut the water by ¼ to ½ Cup, then spread the cooked grain on a cookie sheet to avoid further steaming. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is the ancient cereal of the Incas, who cultivated it for its versatility and nutrition. It’s light and fluffy like couscous, but quinoa is very high in protein and other good-for-you stuff. Try it – especially if you’re on a gluten-free diet.

1-2/3 Cups water
1 Cup quinoa
½ teaspoon salt
½ Cup dried blueberries
½ Cup toasted cashews or peanuts, halved

3 Tablespoons canola oil
2 Tablespoons honey
2 Tablespoons lime juice
Grated lime zest
¼ Cup fresh mint, chopped
Salt to taste

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and salt; stir once, then cover. Reduce heat to lowest seating and simmer rice for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Spread quinoa on a cookie sheet to cool to lukewarm. In a large bowl, whisk oil, honey, lime juice, zest, and mint. Add quinoa, berries, and nuts and toss well to mix. Taste and add salt. Cover and chill for 1 hour before serving.

Vegetarian Chili with Spicy Pepitas
4-6 servings

Bulgur is a quick-cooking form of whole wheat that has been cleaned, parboiled, dried, ground into particles and sifted into distinct sizes. We like to use either fine or medium bulgur in this recipe. It is generally available; Bob’s Red Mill is a favorite. This recipe doesn’t have any added fat – just throw everything in the pot and go! The pumpkin seeds are a nice, healthier touch to the usual cheese and sour cream topping (but we love those, too.)

1/2 Cup bulgur
1/2 Cup cold water
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained
1/2 Cup dried lentils
1 15-ounce can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 Cup tomato sauce
1 Cup water, veggie broth, or beer
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 Tablespoon pure chili powder
1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Salt to taste

½ Cup raw shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pure chili powder.

Soak bulgur in water for 20 minutes; drain well. Add to stock pot with remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 1/2 hour, or until lentils are soft. Stir frequently, adding additional water, broth, or tomato juice if necessary. Taste and adjust seasonings.

While chili cooks, add 1 teaspoon oil to a non-stick skillet. Set over MEDIUM-LOW heat and add pepitas. Cook, stirring frequently, until seeds begin to brown and smell fragrant. Watch they don’t burn! Stir in salt and chili powder. Taste a few and adjust seasonings. Spread on a paper towel to cool.