Cooked Quinoa
TASTY TIDBITS TUESDAY
First I had to learn how to pronounce it, then how to cook it and then I found a LOT of Quinoa recipes. This delicious, heart-healthy, natural starch is gaining in popularity. Quite frankly, I don’t know why I’ve never made it before. It’s on this diet I’m trying to follow and so I decided to buy some and see what would come of it. Just in case you don’t know what I didn’t know, it’s pronounced Keen-Wah.
Although not a common item in most kitchens today, quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. .
Most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard. It is a recently rediscovered ancient “grain” once considered “the gold of the Incas.”
2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 cup black beans (optional)
2 TBS fresh parsley
1 TBS olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of one lemon
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 oz crumbled feta (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast pine nuts for 4 minutes
Combine cooked quinoa, red pepper, red onion, black beans (if using), and parsley and pine nuts.
In a small bowl combine minced garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, pepper and red pepper. Stir in olive oil. Toss dressing with quinoa mixture. Top with feta cheese. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Recipe from Savvy Vegetarian
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