Broccoli with Garlic Butter, Cashews, & Chicken Over Quinoa

My friend, Claire emailed me this easy recipe a few weeks ago and I finally got around to trying it out. It's originally a concoction that her friend Heather invented and posted on their parenting message board. It was really easy, tasty, healthy, and family-friendly...all the criteria that I love. In fact, it was so easy it almost felt like a non-recipe. Given my lackluster approach to our meals lately, it was exactly the kind of new recipe that I was up for trying out.

As I said in my previous post, we have not been experimenting with very many new recipes and just sticking with old favorites. For example, tonight we are having grilled steak, baked potatoes, and swiss chard. It's not anything that I haven't posted before. I think I am just getting burnt out on always having something to do, so my blog and menu planning has been put low on the priority list. Lately, when I go to the grocery store, I just put the things in my cart that are needed and buy whatever meat is on sale. I got some ground chicken this week on clearance that was 30% off the normal price, so I bought three packages. I have been preparing whatever I have on hand and calling it good. Last night, I made a "casserole" layered out of torn corn tortillas, cooked pulled pork, salsa, canned pinto beans, and shredded cheese. It was good, but I feel like it really was not anything spectacular or note-worthy. I think it was more of a fridge clean-out project more that anything else.

Broccoli with Garlic Butter, Cashews, & Chicken Over Quinoa

Ingredients:
2 cooked chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cups cooked quinoa, rinsed and prepared according to package directions
1 lb of broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 cup of butter (I cut this to about 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
Several twists of black pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Chopped cashews, as few or as many as you'd like, but probably no more than 1/3 cup.

Directions:
Prepare the chicken and quinoa and set aside. (I seasoned my chicken with salt, pepper, and olive oil then broiled it in the oven on 'high' for 10 minutes to cook thoroughly.)

Steam the broccoli until tender/crisp.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or so. Mix in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and pepper. Bring to bubbling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for a few minutes to thicken a smidge. Add the cashews, pour the sauce over the broccoli and stir to coat.

Combine broccoli and quinoa and stir to coat. Serve with cooked chicken.



The Result:
This was really yummy! As I said, this was a really easy dish to prepare and my family loved it. Thankfully, quinoa is gaining popularity because it is really an awesome grain and it is soooo good for you. I especially love the texture of quinoa. If you don't have it or can't find it, then you could certainly substitute another grain such as whole wheat cous cous or brown rice.