Quinoa Recipes!
Quinoa Veggie Salad
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup diced fresh celery
1/4 cup diced fresh cucumbers
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions (optional)
1/4 cup diced fresh carrots
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt to taste
Add chopped nuts, raisins, currants or cranberries
Add cooked chicken or shrimp
Add diced avocado
Serve over lettuce or spinach leaves
Just mix! This recipe does involve a fair amount of chopping, but if you make a big portion, it can be lunch or a side dish for several days.
Quinoa Taco Salad adapted from loveandzest.com
Makes 2 servings
4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup black beans (look for BPA-free cans when possible, Eden Organics is a good brand)
1/2 cup chopped mango (about half a mango, but could be an entire mango depending on size)
2 plum tomatoes, diced
20 organic blue corn tortilla chips, or cassava tortillas (try Siete brand), crushed
1 avocado, diced
4 tablespoons fresh salsa
1. In a serving bowl, layer romaine lettuce and top with other ingredients. Finish with salsa.
2. Make one salad for easy lunch on the go and set it aside; make another bowl to eat now!
How to Cook Quinoa
Measure out as much dry quinoa as you want to cook. Quinoa more than doubles in size and becomes fluffy, so start by cooking half a cup at a time.
Quinoa comes in different colors. The multicolor is very fun but can be harder to digest. I like sprouted, organic white quinoa.
Put the quinoa in a strainer and rinse it under running water for several minutes.
Heat up twice as much water or broth as you measured in quinoa. If you are going too cook half a cup, heat a full cup of water/liquid to almost a boil.
Add the quinoa and stir. Return it to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and wait until the water/liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Quinoa should be fluffy.
Eating Quinoa at Any Meal
Cover with sauce, eat like pasta.
Add it to any soup for heartiness and protein.
Use as a hot side with any protein - dress up with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, dried spices.
Sweeten it with fruit and nut milk and eat as you would oatmeal at breakfast.
Want to learn more about the nutritional value of quinoa?