My Quinoa Obsession Continues...

I have a quinoa obsession. Ever since I discovered this grain about 4 years ago, I use it in place of rice, couscous, lentils...everything. And it's not just because I have several boxes in my pantry (sometimes I forget what I already have in my pantry, and with quinoa, this has been a problem for unknown reasons).

Quinoa is so easy to make, so versatile and so very satisfying - and it's HEALTHY! For me, it's like a super healthy version of pasta; something I love, but try to stay away from since it makes me blow up like a balloon. It's also a grain that I've learned to create with. I cook with it so much, I just make up recipes based on what flavors I feel like tasting and somehow it always works out with quinoa.

Golden delicious grains of goodness

Last weekend I made up a curried quinoa dish, and it's been a staple of my lunch every day this week. I simply used curry powder in the chicken stock I used to cook the quinoa in, so it came out with a light but flavorful curry essence. I added some diced red onions, toasted pine nuts and lots of sweet basil for a fantastic salad that can be served hot or cold or room temperature. I'll try to recreate the recipe below.

Curried couscous with Opah, broccoli and snap peas

Curried Quinoa

1 cup quinoa, washed and drained

2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon curry powder

4 tablespoons chopped sweet basil

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/4 cup of toasted pine nuts

Pour chicken or vegetable stock in a saucepan and add curry powder to the cold stock and whisk until powder is full dissolved. Pour in quinoa and cook following package directions. After quinoa is cooked, put the basil and onions into a large bowl, and add cooked quinoa and toss together. Add pine nuts. Serve hot, cold or at room temperature.

Sunday Cooking: Spicy Pan O' Goodness

I have always had a thing for spicy food. Not the burns-so-much-you-can't-taste-anything-except-hellfire-hot, but the kind that makes the skin under your eyes and above your cheeks get moist with tiny beads of sweat. I love me my curries, and I have the tendency to put Tapatio, Tabasco or Sriracha on just about anything (FYI, Sriracha on Trader Joe's Veggie Enchiladas is heeeeeeeeeavnly).

So, for my lunch "main" course this week, I decided to make a hearty Mexican grain dish of some sort - vague, I realize. I can't really have couscous anymore, since I'm trying to do that whole anti-inflammatory thing. And rice, well, that's not the best choice for every-day eating. After rummaging through my pantry and realizing I had three unopened boxes of quinoa (sometimes one can become forgetful during a list-less TJs shopping excursion), I settled on this sprouty grain.

Washing quinoa has always been a daunting task. First, it's hard to find a strainer that has small enough holes to keep the quinoa from escaping. Second, the quinoa becomes like little balls of Styrofoam, sticking to your fingers, palms, sink - whatever gets in its way. But after some trial and error, I have found these Japanese woven strainers work the best at both keeping the quinoa inside and keeping it somewhat in one place:

Tightly woven = good at keeping little quinoas from jumping ship

I started with some onions and celery, then added some chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Next I threw in some pinto beans, water, a small can of diced jalapenos and some canned tomatoes. Now technically tomatoes aren't the best for anti-inflammatory diets, but it was a small enough amount so I'm going to overlook it. Besides, they certainly got their fair share of abuse before going into the pot: I didn't notice that I bought canned, whole tomatoes instead of diced, so I just poured them into my hand over the pan and started squishing. Squish, squish, squish. I was definitely having a Nigella Lawson moment. [In thick, English accent]: "I have no time for messing with a knife - fussiness equals musiness, I say! Just yank those hearty, fleshy tomatoes out of their can and let their fabulous, luscious skin ooooooooze through your fingers as you joyfully squish and squosh and griiiiiind them like so."

Is it just me or do you feel like having a cigarette after watching an episode?

"Scrumdeliumptious" - a la Nigella - veggies in a pan

After dumping all those liquidy ingredients into the pan, I feared I put too much liquid and not enough quinoa (there was more liquid in those squishy tomatoes than I had planned for).

C'mon little quinoa, you can do it! Soak up all those delicious juices!

Luckily after a good 25-minutes, all those spicy jalapeno juices and tomato liquid were nicely sopped up by the quinoa. This'll make a great main dish with a lovely salad for my lunch this week...oh, except I totally spaced that I have to take a new employee out to lunch today. Dang it! Isn't it nice when you actually find yourself wanting the food you make over a meal out? Bonus too when it's healthy like this dish.

A spicy pan o' goodness

With a few slices of avocado and a sprinkling of cilantro (in my haste to try this I forgot to add the cilantro), this one-pan meal is pretty near perfection. Oh, and not that I was trying but this dish happens to be vegan.



Spicy Mexican One-Skillet Quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery or green or red bell peppers, depending on your taste
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup quinoa, washed thoroughly
1, 14-16 oz. can of pinto beans
1, 4-oz can of diced jalapenos (or if you prefer less spicy, use mild green chilies)
1, 14-16 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 cup water or chicken or vegetable stock
Sliced avocado and chopped cilantro for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery (or peppers) and cook for about 8 minutes or until onions start becoming translucent. Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add in quinoa, pinto beans, jalapenos (or chilies), tomatoes and water (or stock). Stir all ingredients together, lower heat to medium low, cover pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed by the quinoa. Serve with sliced avocado and chopped cilantro.