Quinoa Pilaf
1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
½ cup small diced onion
¼ cup small diced carrot
¼ cup small diced celery
½ cup of your favorite variety of raisin
¼ cup of diced dried apricots
¼ cup of currants
1 cup of white wine
salt
Soak dried fruit in enough white wine to cover.
Pre-rinse your quinoa. Then put your quinoa in a pot with equal parts water, ie 1 cup of quinoa to 1 cup of water. Don’t forget one pinch of salt for every cup of quinoa. Bring the water to a low simmer and cover the pot with a lid. In 8 to 10 minutes you should have your finished product. Your quinoa should have tripled in size and all your water should have been absorbed. Set this aside and saute your celery, carrot, and onion. Once translucent add wine soaked dried fruit to the mixture and then once residual wine is cooked away add everything to the pot with the quinoa. Stir until mixed well and enjoy!
Or enjoy quinoa as a salad!
Quinoa Salad
1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
salt
1 cup of your favorite nuts ( i recommend walnuts)
1 cup of your favorite green (spinach, arugula, or kale)
1 cup of diced apple (also can be substitute to suit taste or what you have on hand)
½ cup rice wine vinegar
1 ½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon of garlic
2 tablespoons of honey
juice of two lemons
1 tablespoon of oregano
Pre-rinse your quinoa. Then put your quinoa in a pot with equal parts water, ie 1 cup of quinoa to 1 cup of water. Don’t forget one pinch of salt for every cup of quinoa. Bring the water to a low simmer and cover the pot with a lid. In 8 to 10 minutes you should have your finished product. Your quinoa should have tripled in size and all your water should have been absorbed.
While your quinoa cooks, combined your vinegar, garlic, honey, oregano and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking. This is your dressing for the salad. Set aside.
At this point you have quinoa and salad dressing. Add your quinoa to a large bowl along with your nuts, greens, and apples. Toss until well mixed then add a generous amount of dressing. Taste as you go and stop when you are comfortable with the results. Enjoy!
So now I hope to never see your carts without quinoa in them again!