Quinoa

Recently, we added a new food to our favorite family meals. It’s small. It’s cute. It’s healthy. (It’s kinda pricey around here....) It’s quinoa! (Which is pronounced “keen-wah” not “qui-noah”!) I found it locally for $4.99/pound, but I bet it can be purchased for a better deal in a bigger city. I’ll find out the next time I leave town. 

I look forward to experimenting with more recipes, but until then, here is the one I made for my family this past week. It’s super simple after you hunt down the main ingredient. GIve it a try and let me know how you like it! 

Quinoa with Black Beans and Lime

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup quinoa (uncooked)

3 cup water

1 can black beans (drained and rinsed of all canning juices)

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup corn

1 cup chopped yellow pepper ( I didn’t have this, but it was still delicious without it)

5 tbsp lime juice

1/3 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic (ground, or 1 clove fresh garlic chopped finely)

1/2 tsp basil 

salt

pepper

In microwave safe bowl, combine quinoa and water. Microwave for 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. (Yes, I mean 20 minutes. That wasn’t a typo.) 

In another larger bowl, combine black beans, tomatoes, onion, corn, yellow pepper and cooked-then cooled quinoa. 

In a small mixing bowl (or, since I hate making more dirty dishes than necessary, the same bowl you used to cook the quinoa) mix the last 6 ingredients, whisking energetically. Pour sauce over the other ingredients in the larger bowl. 

Serve cool. Flavors combine and taste stronger after a night in the fridge. (I modified this recipe from one I found at www.pioneerwoman.com.)

Another note about cooking quinoa. I found loads of information online about how to cook these little jewels. Everyone has their opinion. Since I have ever only eaten this time, I enjoyed it just this way, but I’m open to trying other ways. This is the same way I cook rice; a ratio of 1 part rice to 2 parts water, then microwave accordingly. I grew up cooking rice this way and have no idea how to cook it on the stove! 

(Please excuse the bad photo, it was taken with my phone!)