What exactly is quinoa?
Well for starters, its pronounced “keen-wah” not “kin-oh-wuh”… dad… LOL
No seriously though, quinoa became popular a few years back because of all its “superfood” qualities. It’s high in fiber, packed with antioxidants, and is one of the few foods that is a complete protein (translation: it has all of the essential amino acids/proteins that your body is unable to make).
It’s versatile too! You can use it as a side, the base for a Buddha bowl, or shape it into a patty for your main course. And even though it cooks like a grain—it’s got nothing to do with wheat! It’s actually a seed. So for everyone trying to keep gluten out of their diet, you can eat this!
I’ll admit that quinoa can be pretty plain all by its lonesome though. In fact, when I first started making it I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. One night I looked in my freezer and spied some leftover Espagnole sauce I had made in school. I decided to dump it in the quinoa (this idea may have been thought of over a glass of wine). It was soooo good! Now I always make quinoa with mushrooms, onions, and some tomatoes, because let’s face it, I’m not going through the trouble of making fancy Espagnole sauce when diced tomatoes works just as good.
Yields: 3 cups
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25-30 minutes | Total Time: 30-35 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ onion, diced
2 mushrooms, diced
¼ cup diced tomatoes or 2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp thyme
2 tbsp lemon juice
1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low/medium heat. Add quinoa and toast, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
2. Reduce heat to low and SLOWLY add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Partially cover and cook ~25-30 minutes, or until all of the water has been absorbed, stirring occasionally
3. While quinoa is simmering, add olive oil and garlic to another pan and heat over medium. Add onions, mushrooms, and herbs. Cook until tender ~2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes/tomato paste and remove from heat.
4. Just before quinoa is done, toss with onion/mushroom mixture and lemon juice.
The Cook’s 2 Cents:
· Toasting quinoa enhances its flavor. It brings out the oils and rich nuttiness giving its flavor depth. You’ll want to toast the quinoa until it’s light brown in color and starts to smell “nutty. Pro Tip: Toasting is different than burning! Toasting= lightly brown color and delicious aroma. Burning=dark brown and burnt aroma. When someone first told me to toast until there’s a “nutty” aroma, I rolled my eyes thinking what the heck does that even mean?! But believe me—you really can smell AND taste a difference.
· I burned myself the first time I added the broth because it literally spit like a camel out of the pan. Turn the heat to low and slowly add a little bit of the broth at a time so you don’t get burned.
· I’ve tried both tomato paste and canned diced tomatoes. I think the taste is essentially the same, the only difference is the diced tomatoes give a bit more texture. Try both and see which one you like better! Or just do what I do, and use whichever one is in the pantry!
Nutrition Facts:
Serving Size: ½ cup
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Calories: 158 Fat: 6g Sodium: 68mg Carbs: 23g Fiber: 3g Sugars: 1g Protein: 4g
