I’ve been reading about quinoa forever: “An ancient grain that has been around for 5,000 years …”
And even though everything I’ve read said it’s one of those “superfoods” every vegetarian has to try (even a hypocritical one), I never got around to making it.
Truthfully, I figured it would taste something like couscous, which I just don’t like. I know — that’s blaspheme in the veg community. But I just don’t like it.
So when I saw a recipe in The Whole Foods Market Cookbook called “Warm Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Asparagus,” I decided to try it — minus the shrimp. (And as it turns out, minus the asparagus — which I forgot to buy.)
It’s not that I won’t eat fish — I do. But for the past year, I’ve found myself avoiding shrimp. Something about that squishshshsh when you bite into it. Uh uh. Don’t like it.
As for the quinoa … this is a fantastic recipe. One of those dishes that makes you want to hurry up and scoop up some more, even while you have a forkful in your mouth.
I am officially converted.
So before I go out and a buy an “I Heart Quinoa” t-shirt, let me share this recipe with you:
1 Tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I actually picked them out when the dish was finished, but they add a nice flavor while cooking)
1/2 c vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup white wine
1/8 cup lemon juice
1 Tbs grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup quinoa
Heat the oil and saute the garlic and onion for 3 minutes in a saucepan. Add sun-dried tomatoes and saute another minute. Add vegetable stock, white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper and bring to a boil.
Stir in the quinoa and simmer on low heat with saucepan covered for about 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender to the bite.
Top with:
1/2 cup roasted cashews (I sauteed them in a touch of olive oil in a skillet)
6 minced scallions (threw them in the pan with the cashews)
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
Enjoy — I’d love to hear what you think of it.
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