Lately it seems like I have been seeing quinoa everywhere, but I had no idea what it was! After doing a little research (Wiki, anyone?) I found this high fiber and protein grain like little guy might be a great way to build up my healthy side dish rotation. After searching for a while for a recipe that seemed like it would have great flavor without ruining all the healthy benefits, I found this one. The recipe was very simple to make, which is always a plus, and the list of ingredients wasn’t out of this world. In all, I really enjoyed this dish! The first bite I was a little skeptical, but it kind of goes that way with anything new, but it ended up being my favorite part of the meal! I thought it was a little reminiscent of fried rice (only much healthier), but it defiantly has a flavor of it’s own. I highly recommend adding this to your side dish repertoire, especially if you are looking for something healthy. Enjoy 🙂
Quinoa
Yield: About 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp canola or grapeseed oil
1 cup quinoa, rinsed (unless the package says it does not need to be rinsed)
1 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds, toasted in a dry pan
1/2 cup sliced green onion
2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
Directions:
Check the package to see if the quinoa needs to be rinsed, if it does put quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears; let quinoa drain at least 5 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the quinoa and saute until the quinoa starts to smell toasted (about 3-4 minutes). Add the chicken or vegetable stock and salt, stir and bring the mixture to a boil. When boiling lower the heat to simmer and let the quinoa cook covered for about 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).
While the quinoa is cooking, toast the nuts in a dry pan over high heat, just until the nuts smell toasted (about 1-2 minutes if the heat is high; don’t let the nuts get too brown or they will taste bitter).
When quinoa is done, remove it from heat and let it stand covered for 5 minutes. While the quinoa stands, slice the green onions and chop the cilantro. Fluff the quinoa with a fork, then stir in the toasted nuts, green onions, and cilantro. Serve hot or warm.
Source:Â Kalyn’s Kitchen
