I was hunting through my very poorly organized recipe folder the other day, and came across this quinoa recipe that I'd almost forgotten about! (Sometimes the smallest things excite me.) And, by the way, I really admire those people who have their recipes all beautifully hand-written on cute little index cards - turning them into little gifts to read. That is going on my "someday, when it's not sunny and warm out", mental list of things to do. Yes.
I am a lover of quinoa; this amazing grain was considered sacred to the Incas of South America because of it's nourishing, delicious and vital nutritional content. It's a complete protein, very high in fiber and contains a whole bunch of vitamins and minerals. Oh, and I should mention it's versatility! Have it warm with a meal, cold as a salad, mixed with fruit in a breakfast porridge, stuff it in a pepper, mix it with turkey for a low fat and gluten-free meatball (recipe) , the possibilities are endless. Get the low-down on quinoa.
The cilantro and fresh lime juice in this recipe make it a great dish for when it's warm out. You can play around with this by adding different seeds or nuts, just adjust the seasoning if needed. Pepitas are salty so there is no need to add more salt in this recipe.
Quinoa Salad with Latin Flavors
Serves 6 as a side
Ingredients
1 cup of quinoa
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds)
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup of scallions, finely diced
3/4 cup of tomatoes, diced(about 1 small tomato)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1/2 lime)
1. In a medium saucepan, dry toast quinoa until lightly browned and aromatic (med/low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently). transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly.
2. Put vegetable stock into saucepan and bring to a boil. Add quinoa, stir, and bring back to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12-14 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
3. Place quinoa in a mixing bowl and allow to cool completely. Mix in all other ingredients. Serve cold.
