I was feeling like something fresh and light after a long weekend of travel and nonstop snacking. I wanted a combination of veggies and a healthy grain or protein. I settled on quinoa, a newly discovered foodstuff for me.
Oh, quinoa, how do I love thee, let me count the ways?
You are easy to prepare, versatile and oh-so-healthy. Not quite a grain, more like a vegetable, high in protein and the good kind of fiber. Downsides are that it is messy to clean up when consumed by a toddler, but even the munchkin likes it.
I loosely followed this recipe for Quinoa and Bean Salad, with a few substitutes:
- Prepare quinoa as instructed on package
- In a separate pan, saute 1/2 of a chopped red onion
- Add 12 - 15 stalks of asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
- Saute' for a few minutes and add quinoa once ready
- Take off heat and mix in 2 cups of arugula, some shredded basil, crumbled ricotta salata and a few tablespoons of vinaigrette
- Mix well and serve. The arugula should wilt slightly. Add additional salt and pepper as necessary
I used ricotta salata instead of feta in the recipe because I knew hubs would NEVER touch it if he heard it included feta. And I skipped the beans. Would have been another reason for refusal to eat from the audience...
Aftermath
Yummy dinner, maybe a little light as a main dish. Husband asks:
What's the big deal about quinoa?
I am shocked that your husband would refuse quinoa...maybe he should take after your healthy omnivore friends in CO...anonymous Denver native
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! Here's another Quinoa recipe I really like:
ReplyDeleteBlack Bean, Tomato and Corn Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
4 green onions, chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped
Juice and zest of fresh lime
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp chipotle chili powder (or to taste)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Cook quinoa in boiling salted water until liquid is absorbed and the little tails appear, 15 to 20 minutes. Place warm quinoa in a large bowl; add beans, corn, green onions and tomatoes. Whisk together lime juice and zest, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt and chili powder. Stir dressing into quinoa mixture; stir in cilantro. Serve warm or room temperature.
Rebecca, this sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing. I will try this later this summer when corn and tomatoes are in season.
ReplyDelete