This week, I dedicated a large part of my kitchen-time to exploring different ways that I can prepare--and enjoy--quinoa. It's not that quinoa is a new grain to me; I've cooked it here and there over the years. To be completely honest, for the most part I've avoided it. After attending so many veg potlucks and parties over the years that all just loved boasting several different kinds of quinoa salads, quinoa-stuffed peppers, quinoa-stuffed tomatoes, quinoa burgers, and even quinoa cookies, I was so tired of hearing quinoa quinoa quinoa that I avoided the grain in the way that I often avoid hummus. I avoided it on principle. I avoided the fraternity of quinoa.

That said, I have come up with a few recipes that I really love, and if I'm honest with myself, I like quinoa a lot. (You'll just never hear me talking about it at a party, potluck, or supermarket like it's something new, revolutionary, or religious.)

These Quinoa Corn Fritters were one of my favorite quinoa creations this week. Flavorful, simple, and inexpensive, these little vegetarian patties are prepared with cooked quinoa, chickpeas, garlic, chives, and sweet corn, and then fried up in olive oil until golden brown and delicious. And I'll be really honest with you all: quinoa really makes these little patties what they are. Quinoa's nutty flavor and rich but not sticky texture is perfect for frying up into a delicious fritter.

Here are just a few more quinoa recipes that are worth sharing (and making!):

Oh, quinoa. I might not talk about you a lot, but I like you. It'll be our little secret.

Photo © 2011 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

I won't deny that I am so excited to see the new Harry Potter film that will be released on Friday, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II, or that I am planning a pre-movie party for the midnight showing to celebrate. So if you're at all as excited as I am, then this post is for you, and I'm sure that you'll love this dairy-free recipe version for butterbeer, the drink the wizards and witches are served in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks inn.

Preparing butterbeer is similar to preparing a yolk-based pudding. First, beer (I use a dark, full-bodied beer) is brought to a simmer for anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on how much alcohol content you wish your beverage to have. Then, the pan is removed from heat, and egg yolks, sugar and spices are whisked into the beer until the mixture is slightly thickened (again, like a pudding). Several tablespoons of dairy-free soy margarine are whisked in until well combined, and then the drink is finished off with dairy-free soy milk.

If you're planning on celebrating the release of the new film vegan-style, then this Vegan Butterbeer Recipe is for you. It has slightly different in texture than the egg-based version, but it's still so creamy, frothy and delightful.

Thanks to J.K. Rowling for enlightening the rest of the world to this U.K. delight!

Photo © 2010 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

It's difficult when you're a dairy-free person who likes French food, or when you're a dairy-free person who has friends who like French food; from butter-rich breads, cream sauces, and cheese, cheese, cheese, most menus seem nearly impossible for alternative diets. At most French restaurants, I'm limited to a salad with some sort of grain that the kitchen makes special for me with oil instead of butter. And, this is fine; I like salads and un-buttered grains. The highlight of French dining for me, however, is the sorbet, which is almost always dairy-free. My inspiration for this Chocolate Sorbet Recipe came from one such salad-and-unbuttered rice evening, mainly because it was one of my only French dining experiences in which the kitchen told me that the choice of sorbet was prepared with chocolate that contained milk ingredients and was not dairy-free. I wasn't shattered, but I was determined to make my own.

This Chocolate Sorbet is really easy to prepare if you have an ice cream maker. But even if you don't, you can prepare it using a blender, processing the mixture periodically over several hours to prevent ice crystals from forming. Either way, it's a nice, refreshing treat at the end of a summer meal. Bon appetit!

Photo © 2009 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.

Stir-fries are one of those dishes that seem to pop up frequently in the home of every vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-freer that I know, and with good reason: stir-fries don't require dairy ingredients or animal ingredients to be amazing. Over the years, I've had my share of bad ones and good ones (and I've made my share of both, too). So this week, I thought I'd share a recent summery stir-fry creation and a few tips that will help you make your stir-fries delicious.

The main problems that new cooks encounter when making a stir-fry has to do with two things: the heat of the pan and the amount of oil. If you've ever had a greasy, lack-luster stir-fry, it's probably because 1.) the pan wasn't hot enough at the get-go, 2.) instead of adding ingredients gradually based on their water-content and on how quickly they cook, the ingredients were added all at once and 3.) when everything started to dry out or burn, the cook just added in a ton of oil to try to compensate.

The way to make sure these things don't happen is really just a matter of being organized and patient:

If you're looking for a good stir-fry recipe to try some of these tips out on, this Summer Quinoa Stir-Fry was a huge hit in my house this weekend. Prepared with tofu, quinoa, kale, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and pine nuts, it's simple, healthy, and bursting with seasonal flavors, and it was neither greasy nor burned nor dry. Just right.

Photo © 2011 Ashley Skabar, licensed to About.com, Inc.