Thursday, February 14, 2013

Creative Uses for Quinoa

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We spread the word that we were going to start a Whole Foods Plant Based way of eating and - BAM - we have a stockpile of quinoa. It literally happened overnight.
I'm not complaining, personally I love the stuff. It's full of good nutrients, it's gluten-free, it's packed with fiber and protein and, to top it off, only takes 20 minutes to cook!

If it seems you only know one way to incorporate it, try some of these tasty variations to keep from getting bored:


  • Mediterranean: 1 chopped medium tomato, 1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives, 1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Mint & Feta: 3/4 cup sliced scallions, 1/4 cup each finely crumbled feta cheese and sliced fresh mint, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Parmesan & Balsamic: 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon butter, 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Parmesan-Dill: 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Peas & Lemon: 1 cup frozen peas; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Spicy & Sweet Sesame-Soy: 3 tablespoons rice-wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce, 2 teaspoons each sesame oil and finely chopped fresh ginger, 1 teaspoon each chile-garlic sauce and honey, and 1/4 cup chopped toasted cashews.
  • Spinach: 3 cups sliced baby spinach (or arugula); cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season with salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
  • Tomato-Tarragon: 3/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 3 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon (or parsley or thyme), and salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
Source: Huffington Post

If that's not wild enough for you there is always:

Quinoa Soap (very abrasive I hear!)
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Chocolate Quinoa Pudding
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What other uses and recipes can you come up with?

3 comments:

  1. Not only did I not know what quinoa was till just now - I have no ideas for recipes. But I'm curious now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. REALLLLLY?! I'm shocked! Welcome to the world of this wonderful nutrient-filled whole grain!

      Delete
  2. I have always wanted to try quinoa and that pudding looks good! I'm going to pick some up next grocery day - now I just have to convince everyone else in the house that they want to try it too!

    ReplyDelete

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