What's For Lunch: Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Lunch is ready in a jiffy when you have this delicious quinoa black bean salad waiting for you in the fridge. 

The great thing about making a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week is that you can customize it all week long. This recipe uses three cups of cooked quinoa, but you could easily change the proportions to match however much quinoa you have on hand.

Quinoa black bean salad makes a great side for tacos, burgers, or barbecued chicken. And I find that it's also perfectly filling on its own for lunch. Having it ready to go in the fridge is perfect for those days when my lunch break is virtually nonexistent and I barely have time to get up from my office chair, let alone throw together something healthy for lunch.

This salad is fresh, zesty, and ready to eat when you are. I prefer it cold from the fridge, though it also tastes great at room temperature, making it perfect to bring along to your next picnic or potluck.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 4 servings

3 cups cooked quinoa
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup diced sweet pepper
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup quartered grape tomatoes (seeds removed)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons taco seasoning
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 teaspoons fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

1. Add the cooked quinoa to a large serving bowl and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the red onion and sweet pepper and saute until softened, 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the cooked onion and sweet pepper to the quinoa and stir to combine. Then stir in the black beans, chopped tomatoes, cumin, and taco seasoning. Season to taste with salt. Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and stir to combine.
4. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish each serving with freshly chopped cilantro, if desired.

How to Make: Quinoa

Quinoa packs a nutritional punch, it's a cinch to make, and it can be used in a variety of ways.

I've been trying to make sure the fridge is packed with healthy food options of late, so I've gotten into the habit of making a big batch of quinoa on Sunday that lasts all week long.

I'm a huge quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) fan – it's a great source of vegetarian protein (over 5 grams per serving) and also contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. 

Though there are over 120 varieties of quinoa, the most common types you'll see in the market are white, red, and black. I don't really have a preference for one type over the other; this tricolor variety provides the best of all worlds.

Though often categorized as a grain, quinoa is actually a seed and is most closely related to spinach, beets, and chard. The seeds have a bitter coating, so unless the packaging says that it is pre-washed, always rinse your quinoa in cold water before using.

You can cook quinoa in water, but for more flavor, I tend to cook mine in vegetable broth or homemade chicken stock. While quinoa is perfectly fine on its own, it also pairs quite well with the addition of other ingredients, such as beans, roasted or sauteed vegetables, or your favorite fresh herbs.

What is your favorite way to prepare quinoa?

Quinoa (printer-friendly version)
makes 3 cups

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken stock, vegetable broth, or water

1. Add the quinoa and broth to a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until nearly all of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.

What's Baking: Quinoa-Cacao Blondies

Browned butter and raw cacao nibs take these gluten-free quinoa blondies to a whole new level of deliciousness.

Last weekend, Dustin and I headed to Wausau to run a few errands. While in town I made a quick stop at the Downtown Grocery, which is currently temporarily located in the Wausau Mall while they rebuild after a fire at their old location last fall. My main goal was to stock back up on Condor Coffee, our favorite locally-roasted small-batch coffee company. (We're partial to the Guatemala light roast.)

I was also in desperate need of a snack for the ride home. I decided to eschew the delicious-looking cookies for the healthier-sounding quinoa-almond blondie. 

I was instantly intrigued by its taste – the blondie had a slightly crunchy texture from the quinoa and almonds. And then the cacao nibs that studded the blondie added just the right amount of chocolate flavor. I'm always looking for healthier treats to make at home – could I make this bar in my own kitchen?

Turns out, why yes, yes I can bake my own quinoa blondies at home. And dare I say, these blondies are even better than Downtown Grocery's? (Them there's fightin' words!)

I based my blondie recipe off the ingredients list printed on the bar's packaging. In addition to quinoa flour, I also added in some quinoa flakes to add in even more crunchy texture to the blondie. Though the ingredients listed both butter and vegetable oil, I only used unsalted butter. I browned the butter to bring out a deeper, nutty and caramel flavor. I also added a bit of flaky sea salt to counterbalance the sweetness of the bars.

The end result? An out-of-this-world blondie bar experience. Seriously! Okay, fine, so maybe I'm just really proud of myself for figuring out how to make these blondies in my own kitchen. But they really are tasty, I promise!

Quinoa-Cacao Blondies (printer-friendly version)
makes 12 blondies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and browned

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, plus additional for sprinkling

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup quinoa flour

1/4 cup quinoa flakes

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup cacao nibs

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and then spray the paper with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, add the browned butter to the brown sugar and stir until smooth. Add in the egg and vanilla and stir to combine. Stir in the salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Then stir in the quinoa flour and quinoa flakes. Mix in the sliced almonds and cacao nibs. 

3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the blondies are set in the center and light brown along the edges. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

What's On the Side: Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

I really love quinoa -- it's such a nutritional powerhouse -- but for whatever reason I haven't made it in quite some time. I rectified that error over the weekend when I made a batch of quinoa and black bean salad to share with friends over dinner.

Given its quick cooking time (about 15 minutes), quinoa is a snap to make. And its slightly nutty flavor lends itself well to a variety of flavor combinations. For this quinoa and black bean salad (which I think would work just as well as an entree as it does as a side), I added black beans, red pepper, green onions, and a dressing made from lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and several different Tex-Mex style seasonings. Cilantro adds freshness to the salad and provides a nice counterbalance to all the other flavors. This simple and easy quinoa salad is the perfect addition to your next taco night. I know I can't wait to make (and eat!) it again.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

1 cup quinoa, rinsed if necessary

2 cups water

1 can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed

6-7 green onions, white and green parts sliced (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 red pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced fine (about 1/4 cup)

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

For the dressing:

1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

2 cloves minced garlic, pressed

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Add the quinoa and water to a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then place the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until water has been absorbed. Spread the cooked quinoa out on a plate and allow to cool.

2. After the quinoa has cooled slightly, spoon it into a large bowl. Stir in the black beans, sliced green onions, diced red pepper, and chopped cilantro.  

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, ground coriander, and cayenne pepper. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and stir to combine.

4. Cover and chill for at least one hour before serving to allow the flavors time to meld together. This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.

What's For Lunch: Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and a Honey Lime Vinaigrette

A few weeks ago, D and I headed to Minneapolis to celebrate my birthday. We were starving when we arrived, so, after a quick Yelp search, we headed to The Local, an Irish pub located just around the corner from our hotel. D ordered a quinoa salad, while I went with the more traditional black bean burger ... oops. At least we paired our meals with a Guinness (him) and Big Ginger (2 Gingers Irish Whiskey and ginger ale) (me). Long story short, though my black bean burger was good, D won the ordering award with his delicious quinoa salad. Their version included crispy tofu, roasted sweet potatoes, bell peppers, capers, basil, spinach, and avocado tossed with a lime vinaigrette. My version includes several of the same flavors, with a few tweaks here and there.

This quinoa dish works well served hot, warm, or cold. It also works with or without the dressing, though the honey lime vinaigrette definitely adds a bit of zing. If you have a fresh avocado on hand, I highly recommend adding in some cubed avocado to each serving. Oh man, it's sooo good! Now I kind of wish it was lunchtime so I could eat this right now!

Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables (printer-friendly version)
makes 6-8 servings

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 red bell pepper, cubed
1/2 green bell pepper, cubed
1 small red onion, cubed
4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed if necessary
2 cups filtered water

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, add together the chopped sweet potatoes, bell peppers, onion, garlic cloves, cumin, pepper, salt, and olive oil. Toss to combine, evenly coating the vegetables in the oil and spice mixture.
3. Place the vegetables in a single layer on the prepped baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then flip the vegetables over, and roast for another 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
4. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the quinoa. Add the quinoa and water to a medium sauce pot. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water has been absorbed and the grains are transparent.
5. Add the roasted vegetables and quinoa to a serving bowl. Add dressing (see recipe below) to taste, then toss to combine.

Honey Lime Vinaigrette

makes about 1/2 cup

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 teaspoon honey

pinch fine sea salt

pinch cayenne pepper

large pinch chili powder

1. Add all the ingredients to a small mason jar with a lid. Cover, and shake vigorously to combine the ingredients. Season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

What's On the Side: Quinoa Pilaf

Quinoa is one of my favorite things to serve on the side. It has a delightfully nutty flavor and lends itself well as a complement to a variety of main dishes such as chicken, pork, or beef. (It also serves as an ideal base layer for a mélange of roasted or sauteed veggies.) Technically, quinoa is a seed and not a grain. It originates in the Andean region of South America, where it was revered as a sacred crop by the Incas. Health-wise, quinoa is an excellent choice as it is a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. In addition, a one- cup serving of quinoa contains 9 grams of protein, which is more protein than is found in an egg.

Though I most often make quinoa by just simmering it in water until it absorbs all the liquid, I came across a new recipe to try in a recent issue of Cook's Country magazine. I thought the recipe's flavor profile would make it the perfect companion to a lemon-herb chicken dish I was preparing for dinner -- and I was right. Feel free to sub in whatever fresh herbs you have on hand for the parsley that I used -- I think chives or tarragon would be delicious options.

Quinoa Pilaf (printer-friendly version)
makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and dried (check the packaging, some brands pre-wash the quinoa)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped fine
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 3/4 cups filtered water
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Toast the quinoa in an empty medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and a popping noise is continuously heard, about 5-7 minutes. Place the toasted quinoa in a bowl and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in the medium sauce pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and salt and saute until the onions are softened and golden, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high, then stir in the the water and quinoa. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, 20-25 minutes. Stir once halfway through the cooking period.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Before serving, fluff quinoa with a fork and stir in the chopped parsley and lemon juice.

(adapted from a recipe in the January 2014 issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine)

What's For Dinner: Quinoa with Black Beans and Taco-Seasoned Roasted Potatoes

I made a quick dinner the other night that combined cooked quinoa, black beans, and roasted sweet potatoes. To make the roasted sweet potatoes, I cut peeled and cut two small sweet potatoes into cubes. I then tossed the cubes with olive oil and about a teaspoon of taco seasoning. The potatoes were roasted in the oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. About halfway through the roasting, I removed the potatoes from the oven to toss them and make sure the sides were roasting evenly. To make the dish, I just added together the cooked quinoa, rinsed black beans, and roasted sweet potato. Toppings included a small helping of shredded cheese and a spoonful of salsa. Easy, nutritious, and quick to prepare -- just my kind of dinner.

What's For Dinner: Baked Cod with Coconut-Curry Sauce

Sometimes all it takes is a couple tweaks to make an old recipe new again. This fish dish still has the same delicious coconut-curry flavors found in the version I made back in March, but this time I've switched out the green onions with white onions, added chopped mushrooms, and served the whole shebang over nutrient-packed quinoa.

Baked Cod with Coconut-Curry Sauce (printer-friendly version)
makes two servings [with a bit of sauce leftover]

1 t toasted sesame oil, divided
2 t fresh ginger, peeled and minced [easy tip for peeling the ginger -- use a spoon to scrape off the outer peel]
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C chopped white onion
1/2 C red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 C chopped baby bella mushrooms
1 t curry powder
2 t red curry paste
1/2 t ground cumin
4 t tamari sauce
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can light organic coconut milk
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
2 (6-ounce) cod (or other white fish) fillets
2 C cooked quinoa
2 lime wedges

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat 1/2 t sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the minced ginger and garlic. Cook for about 1 minute.
4. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened and browned.
5. Add in the chopped onions and red pepper. Cook for one minute more.
6. Add curry powder, curry paste, and ground cumin. Stir to combine, and cook for an additional minute.
7. Stir in tamari sauce, brown sugar, 1/4 t salt, and coconut milk.
8. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
9. Once mixture begins to simmer, remove from the heat. Stir in the chopped cilantro.
10. Brush each tilapia fillet with 1/2 t sesame oil and season with the remaining salt.
11. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the fillets on the prepped baking sheet.
12. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the fish easily flakes when touched with a fork.
13. Reheat the sauce over low heat while the fish cooks.
14. Serve each fillet over a bed of quinoa. Spoon a generous portion of the coconut-curry sauce over each portion.

What's For Dinner: Roasted Summer Vegetables over Quinoa

I had vowed last week that I wouldn't turn on the oven once given the crazy heat wave we were experiencing -- but due to the bounty of vegetables in our CSA box, I just knew roasting some of them was the way to go. To make my roasted vegetables, I cut up some cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and red onion and tossed them with a vinaigrette made of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. I served the roasted veggies over quinoa, my favorite amino-acid rich superfood, and sprinkled a few crumbles of feta cheese on top as a garnish.

Roasted Summer Vegetables over Quinoa (printer-friendly version)

makes one serving

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small zucchini, diced

1/2 red onion, cut into quarters and chopped

1/4 cup feta cheese crumbles

1. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Add the chopped and diced veggies to the bottom of a glass baking dish.

3. Pour the vinaigrette over the veggies. Gently shake the dish to make sure all the veggies are evenly covered by the sauce. Flip any tomatoes so that they are cut-side up.

4. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently toss. Roast for an additional 10 minutes, then gently toss again. Let roast for an additional 10 minutes, then remove from the oven.

5. Serve the roasted vegetables over a bed of quinoa (or couscous, rice, etc.) and top with feta cheese crumbles.

What's For Dinner: Roasted Winter Vegetables Served Over Quinoa

One of the perks of working for a publishing company is that I can get trade books for 50 percent off the list price at any time of the year, and once a year I get a certain allotment of money to spend on books. Last year one of the books I opted to get was The Flexitarian Table by Peter Berley. This cookbook features "inspired, flexible meals for vegetarians, meat lovers, and everyone in between" -- kind of the perfect cookbook for our household. Admittedly, aside from paging through the book when it arrived on my doorstep, I haven't really had the chance to delve into the book's content. A few weeks ago I again looked through the book and tagged a couple of recipes that I'd like to try. One such recipe was for roasted winter vegetable salad with red onion vinaigrette. The following meal is inspired by that recipe; I took a few liberties with the ingredients, adding some in and omitting others. Rather than serve it as a side as featured in the cookbook, I instead served it as a main entree over a bed of quinoa.

Roasted Winter Vegetables (printer-friendly version)

makes 4+ servings

2 cups cubed butternut squash

4 medium carrots, peeled, halved and halved again

6 red potatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

dried rosemary

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, sliced

1 t fresh thyme leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons organic dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Add the cubed butternut squash, quartered red potatoes, and cut carrots into a large bowl.

3. Drizzle the olive oil over the veggies. Season with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss to evenly coat all the veggies.

4. Pour the seasoned veggies out onto a rimmed baking sheet.

5. Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the veggies are lightly browned and a knife inserted into the veggies comes out easily. Flip the veggies about halfway through the cooking time.

6. While the veggies are roasted, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

7. Add the chopped onions and fresh thyme. Saute until the onions are lightly browned and softened, about 2-3 minutes.

8. In a small bowl, stir together the dijon mustard, honey, and red wine vinegar. Pour over the onion-thyme mixture. Stir to combine.

9. Once the veggies are roasted, transfer them into a large bowl. Pour the onion mixture over top and stir to combine.

10. Let the veggies sit together for about 3-4 minutes to let the flavors combine.

11. Serve over a bed of quinoa or brown rice.

What's For Dinner: Spinach and Feta Salmon Burger

I know that Whole Food's nickname is "Whole Paycheck," but honestly, there are a lot of deals to be found. Case in point: (another round of) salmon burgers! Sure, they're not quite as cheap as a 79 cent box of Mac and Cheese, but at under $4 per serving, (and a whole heckuva lot healthier than that blue and orange box!), these burgers are a good budget buy for me. Last time I featured teriyaki burgers; tonight we gave spinach and feta burgers a try. I think I liked these burgers even better than the last kind. Since D was heading out to a meeting, I was in charge of cooking them up this time. I started by making a pot of quinoa (1/2 C quinoa in 1 C water, bring water to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed). To cook the burgers, I sprayed olive oil cooking spray on a medium-sized skillet, which I then heated over medium-high heat. Once the skillet was heated, I added the burger patties and cooked each side for about three minutes. I finished the burgers in a 350 degree oven for five minutes. End result? Perfection. In addition to the quinoa, I also served the burger alongside a spinach salad with (more!) feta cheese and a balsamic dressing.

What's For Dinner: Confetti Quinoa with Black Beans

One of our guilty pleasures in town is picking up a meal at Qdoba. I always get the naked burrito -- basically a burrito sans the flour tortilla. Since it's really just rice with some black beans on top, it seems like it would be a bit more economical to make my own version at home. I decided to amp the nutrition up a bit by making quinoa the base rather than white rice. Just like at Qdoba, you can add whatever toppings you want. We substituted Chobani Greek yogurt for sour cream; not only is it lower in fat, but it also has a higher protein content.

Confetti Quinoa with Black Beans

4 servings

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed (I used a red variety)

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

1 can black beans

2 tablespoons guacamole

1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons salsa

colby jack cheese for garnish

1. Add the rinsed quinoa, water, and chopped onion and peppers into the bowl of a rice cooker. Cook on the "white rice" setting. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes after cooking is complete. (If you don't have a rice cooker, cook the quinoa according to the manufacturer's instructions, then stir in the chopped peppers and onion at the end.)

2. Heat the black beans in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir every so often to ensure beans heat evenly (and they don't get stuck on the bottom of the pot!).

3. To serve, make a bed of quinoa, add black beans and the toppings of your choice. (We added guacamole, Greek yogurt, some salsa, and a bit of cheese.)

4. Eat!

{D's ginormous Qdoba-sized portion}

What's For Dinner: Pita Stuffed with Quinoa

Another pita-filled meal for tonight. Turns out I made a TON of quinoa the other day and I need to find some creative ways to use it up! So, for tonight's dinner, I stuffed a pita with about a cup of quinoa, some arugula, the last of the roasted eggplant, and about a quarter-cup of salsa. Really filling and a nice kick of spice, to boot!

What's For Dinner: Stuffed Peppers

{the stuffed peppers ready for the oven}

For tonight's dinner inspiration I looked to blogland. A few days ago Emily at The Front Burner posted about her stuffed pepper dinner. Since I had several peppers languishing on the kitchen counter, I decided making stuffed peppers would be a great way to use them up.

{a few of the colorful ingredients}

Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa and Black Beans
makes 2 stuffed peppers (with plenty of filling to spare)

1 cup quinoa (rinsed if necessary)
2 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 tomato, chopped
1 orange pepper, chopped
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1/4 cup salsa (I used medium)

1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Add the quinoa and water to a medium-sized saucepot and bring to a boil. Once the water comes to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 15 minutes or until all the water is aborbed.
3. Once all the water is absorbed, stir in the black beans, chopped orange pepper and tomato, taco seasoning, and salsa. Set mixture aside.
4. Slice the tops off the red and yellow peppers. Remove the seeds and ribs.
5. Place the two peppers in a small loaf pan coated with nonstick spray. Add a little bit of water to the bottom of the loaf pan.
6. Spoon the quinoa mixture into each of the peppers.
7. Place the peppers into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes.
8. When the peppers are done, cover each with a handful of shredded cheddar (or pepperjack) cheese and bake for a few minutes more, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly.

9. Serve each pepper on a bed of the leftover quinoa.

{served up and ready to eat -- and oh wow, DELISH!}

What's for Dinner: Quinoa with Sauteed Veggies

Last week I made quinoa for breakfast and tonight I brought it back for dinner. (Last week I used the red variety, tonight the spotlight is on the white variety.) To my quinoa I added some sauteed veggies, including red pepper, green pepper, shallots, and baby portabella mushrooms as well as some black beans and a garnish of "vintage white" sharp cheddar cheese. Yum!

Quinoa with Sauteed Veggies

makes one serving

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup quinoa

pinch taco seasoning (I used a hand-mixed blend from the Savory Spice Shop in Boulder, CO)

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup red pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1 small shallot, chopped

1/8 cup baby portabella mushrooms (sliced)

1/8 cup no-salt-added black beans

white cheddar cheese to garnish (I used Tillamook "vintage white" extra sharp cheddar)

1. Bring the water and quinoa to a boil in a small saucepan. (Rinse your quinoa beforehand if necessary; the brand I used today was pre-rinsed.) After the water comes to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.

2. Meanwhile, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil to a saute pan. Saute the red pepper, green pepper, mushrooms, and shallots over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes.

3. When the quinoa is ready, add a pinch of taco seasoning and the sauteed veggies along with the black beans and stir together to mix.

4. Spoon the mixture onto a plate and garnish with white cheddar cheese.

Enjoy!

What's for Breakfast: Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa

The raw ingredients (ground cinnamon, red quinoa, fresh raspberries, whole pecans, skim milk (not pictured: water)):

The finished product:

Today I was ready for a new breakfast, having had steel-cut oats for the past five days. Clicking through some of my favorite cooking sites on the Internet last night, I came upon this gem at 101 Cookbooks: warm and nutty cinnamon quinoa.

After a quick run to Safeway for some fresh raspberries, I was ready to put together my breakfast. After giving the quinoa a quick rinse, I cooked it in a mixture of milk and water until nearly all the water was absorbed. The quinoa was then taken off the heat and allowed to rest for 5 minutes. In the meantime, I chopped the pecans and toasted them on the stove for a couple of minutes. When the quinoa was ready, I mixed in a handful of raspberries and a pinch of cinnamon. This mixture was spooned into a bowl and topped with the toasted pecans, a couple raspberries, and a drizzle of agave nectar.

Though I've only ever eaten quinoa as part of a dinnertime meal before, this combination of ingredients made for a tasty, satisfying, and filling breakfast.