I like quinoa but only with lots of flavour. It is a high protein seed harvested from the quinoa plant but is often confused with cereals.  You cook it like rice, at a 2 to 1 ratio of liquid to quinoa.  Bring to a boil.  Turn heat down and cover.  Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the seeds have exploded.  Fluff with fork before serving.

I found this recipe while hunting for a tuna salad. Its from a site called the Online Pastry Chef, and while I am making it on a Sunday, it will be my lunches for this week:

• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot or small onion, minced
• 1 carrot, scrubbed and cut into small dice
• 1 celery rib rib, scrubbed and cut into small dice
• salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ tsp Old Bay Spice (OR 1 bay leaf plus a few whole cloves and a pinch of sweet paprika)
• zest of one orange and lemon (I only had lemon on hand)
• 12 oz. (1½ cups) quinoa, rinsed
• 24 oz. (3 cups) homemade chicken stock
• 2 cans tuna in water, drained and flaked (Note to self: next time I would try ground turkey or chicken)

Directions:

1. Saute the vegetables in saucepan until  soft
2. Add quinoa and cook 2-3 minutes more to coating it w/oil
3. Add the chicken stock and spices, bring to a boil then cover and reduc to a simmer
4. After 15 minutes, add the flaked tuna and cook 3 minutes more. Remove and discard bay leaf and cloves if using.
5. Fluff the quinoa and serve warm

This entry was posted on Monday, January 4th, 2010 at 8:29 am and is filed under Salads. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.