FIRST ENTRIES IN RECIPE CONTEST

We have two official entries in the recipe contest and a bunch more still to be road tested. Better get yours going!

At HyNoon this week the word has been "quinoa" as in that vegetarian miracle food, the diet staple of ancient Peru. We cooked 2 cups in 4 cups of vegetable broth, and eaten it a couple different ways, coming up with some great small meal ideas for Gram. Quinoa cooks quickly, and is a seed that looks like tiny little sprouts when cooked. It's loaded with protein and is a good source of calcium.

TK's Fabulous Quinoa Wrap

1/4 c traditional quinoa cooked in vegetable broth
1 T cubed avocado
1 T cubed tomato
1/2 t lemon juice
Pepper to taste
Fajita size High Fiber wrap

Heat the wrap in the microwave about 20 seconds, till it's flexible. Put quinoa in the middle of wrap, top with other ingredients. Roll the wrap like a burrito, and YUM!

This small meal has about 325 calories, but it has 16 grams of dietary fiber and about 7 grams of protein.

Corn, beans, olives, salsa, cheese all would be tasty additions to this wrap.

A few miles away at Casa Hering, the word is "Gorp." In keeping with the theme of the recipe contest, this is a snack that can store and travel, and I think Gram P. will flip for it. Made with granola and peanut butter, this gorp has over 5g protein and 2.7g fiber in 1/2 cup.

Cammie's Peanut Butter-Granola Gorp

1/4 c peanut butter
1//4 c maple-flavored syrup
1 c low-fat granola
32 tiny pretzels, crushed
Cooking spray
1/2 c golden raisins
1/2 c dried cranberries

Microwave peanut butter & maple syrup 30 seconds until hot; stir well. Place granola & pretzels in large bowl; pour in peanut butter mixture and stir to coat. Spread mixture on baking tray coated with cooking spray and bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes, stirring twice. Stir in raisins and cranberries. Return pan to oven. Turn oven off; cool mixture in closed oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely before storing p 1/2 cup individual servings in little zip-lock bags. (We'll have to see how sticky this gets in a car in the Porterville heat.)

I'm currently perfecting my tri-color deviled eggs, with no cholesterol and more protein than you can shake a rubber chicken at. Just let your imagination work on it!