Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto

We have had a couple nice bursts of sunshine here in the Portland area lately. My daughter and I made it to the zoo a couple times and I was able to go fishing with my parents at a nearby lake. I love this time of year as spring creeps toward summer. With the brief warm temperatures, I took advantage of dusting of the BBQ and grilling up a nice meal. Quinoa with grilled vegetables isn't exactly rocket science but this dish was light and full of wonderful flavors.
Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables and Prosciutto:
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Quinoa (rinsed and drained 2-3 times)
1 small zucchini
6-8 stalks of asparagus
2 green onions
3-4 sprigs of cilantro
1 medium slice of Prosciutto
Olive oil
Sea salt
Prep the zucchini and asparagus for the grill. Peel and slice the zucchini into spears and trim the ends of the asparagus. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt. Grill the vegetables until they are tender, about 8-10 minutes on my grill.
For the quinoa; bring the chicken broth and 1/2 tsp of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook until done, about 15 minutes. While the quinoa is cooking, finely chop the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto.
Coarsely chop the grilled vegetables and add them to the cooked quinoa along with the cilantro, green onions, and prosciutto. Serve alongside just about anything you like. For us, it was a great accompaniment to our BBQ chicken. Enjoy!!!

Gluten Free Doughnut Muffins

The theme this week for "Gluten Free Wednesdays" is muffins. Gluten free muffins are so easy to make and there are many flavors to choose from. I think my top three muffin choices would be; corn muffins, banana nut muffins, and blueberry. However, a newcomer to my muffin making repertoire could easily break into the top three favorites. I present you with the doughnut muffin. The flavors in these muffins taste just like a doughnut and by dipping them in butter and sugar, you ensure that the calorie count is right up there with a real doughnut as well. But they are oh so worth it. Let's get started.
Gluten Free Doughnut Muffins:
from Noble Pig modified to be GF
Makes 12 muffins
Muffins:
1-3/4 cups gf flour mix
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
3/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
Jam of your choice
Topping:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Baking Time and Temperature:
350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes In a medium bowl, whisk together the gf flour mix, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the oil and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
Pour the batter into a well greased or lined muffin pan. Add a small scoop of your favorite jam, about a teaspoon each, to the center of the batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are baking, prepare the topping. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. In another small bowl, melt the butter just before the muffins come out of the oven.
While the muffins are still hot, quickly dip the top of the muffin into the melted butter followed immediately by a dip into the cinnamon sugar mix. Repeat for each muffin. Allow to cool slightly and then dig in to your little doughnut-flavored treasure. Enjoy!!!