I bet there are some of you who haven't tried Quinoa, am I right?! Well first of all it is pronounced (Keen-wah). If you knew that already, then you are ahead of me, because I always pronounced it how it looks...(k-win-oh-ah) up until probably six months ago. I heard someone on Food Network say it, and at first I didn't know what they were talking about. Television does pay off sometimes ;)
This is what uncooked Quinoa looks like
Quinoa Nutrition Facts.
These facts are from http://www.quinoa-nutritionfacts.com/ (which is a great site to learn lots more)
- It is an excellent source of magnesium. 1 serving of quinoa can meet 48% of the daily value that we need.
- It is rich in magnesium, iron, tryptophan, copper and phosphorous
- It is rich in protein, calcium and iron, which makes it a meat substitute for vegans.
- It contains all nine essential amino acids including lysine, which is necessary for cellular renewal. (which means it is a complete protein!)
- It is an excellent source of fiber and starch.
- It is low in calories despite being packed with so much minerals and nutrients, which makes it ideal for dieters
- It is gluten free, which makes it a great alternative to grains for people with gluten sensitivity.
So that definitely shows you some of the reasons Quinoa is so good for you! You can find it in most grocery stores either in the grain isle, health food section, or I buy mine from Winco out of the bulk food bins. It definitely has a different taste, maybe a little nutty, and I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, but it definitely is a winner in this recipe I came up with! It is so simple too, you must give it a try!
Quinoa And Vegetable Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Quinoa, rinsed well in water.
- 2 cups chicken broth (you can even do vegetable broth, or water but I prefer chicken broth)
- 2 garlic cloves sliced in a few pieces
- 1/2 a red onion
- 1/2 a red pepper
- 1 zucchini
- 2 more garlic cloves minced
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 TBLS Balsamic Vinegar
- 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
- Feta Cheese to sprinkle on top
After you have rinsed off the Quinoa, put it in a pot with the chicken broth, and two chopped up garlic cloves. Bring to a slow boil, and cook until the Quinoa has absorbed all the water.
The Quinoa will get nice a fluffy.
Dice the red onion and red pepper. Cut the zucchini into bite size pieces.
Sprinkle some olive oil in a saucepan, and throw in the veggies and onion.
Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the balsamic vinegar. Saute veggies until tender.
Mix sauteed veggies with Quinoa, add olives, and serve with as much feta as your stomach desires. Which in my case is A LOT :) I love me some feta!
My husband slow cooked a beef tri tip on the barbecue to go along with ours. He is the grill master by the way! :) Maybe one of these days I will post about his barbecue skills, but I will have to talk that over with him because I'm pretty sure it's top secret. :)
Enjoy! It really is delicious! Please let me know if you make this! Step out of your comfort zone if you have never tried Quinoa, there are so many possibilities, they are endless! :)
As for me, it's snack time! I'm off to go chow on a muffin!
Looks yummy! I have NEVER tried Quinoa. Sounds exciting! I had to laugh at your comment about loving blogging even if you're just talking to yourself! haha, that's how I feel :) I will have to try this one out!
ReplyDeleteOk I am sold!!! it sounds delicious especially topped with feta:)
ReplyDeleteNicole-haha we can be blogging buddies, and keep eachother company ;)
ReplyDeleteMelissa-I knew you would LOVE the feta part just as much as me! It is SO good!
awesome recipes and clear instructions! so happy to see the quinoa one; we love that stuff :-)
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