Super Easy Southwest Quinoa

This is one of my favorite dishes, party because it's so easy to make. It also has very few ingredients, and can be easily adapted to whatever you have on hand. I found the recipe in Vegetarian Times a year or two ago.

1-1/4 c. quinoa, rinsed
1 15-oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. frozen corn
1/2 cup salsa
1 t. chili powder
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped (optional)
2 T. olive oil

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add beans, corn, salsa and chili powder, and cook a few more minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top with hot sauce, if desired.

* This is a delicious sauce we picked up at the supermercado at Midtown Global Market.

Carrot Cake

All I have to say about this one is YUM! I'm pretty picky about carrot cake--I don't like raisins or nuts or big hunks of carrot in it, so I didn't include them. Of course, they can certainly be added for those of you who like that stuff.

Carrot Cake
1 c. flour
1/3 c. rice flour
1 c. sugar
1-1/2 t. baking soda
1-1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. salt
3 T. flaxseeds, ground, mixed with 9 T. water
2/3 c. vegetable oil
1-1/2 c. finely shredded carrots

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine flax mixture and vegetable oil. Add to flour mixture and stir until combined. Add carrots. Spread batter into two greased and floured 9-inch round pans or on 9x13 pan. Bake 35-45 minutes. Let cool, then frost.

Cream "Cheese" Frosting
8 oz. vegan cream cheese
5 T. Earth Balance buttery sticks, softened
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
a few drops of coconut extract (optional)
4 c. powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar, and mix until well blended. Beat powdered sugar in one cup at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.