Quinoa Pilaf

So, how many of you have ever heard of quinoa?  For my foodies, quinoa is what my health conscious aunt would call a “Super food”, not only containing carbohydrates but containing 14 grams of protein per 100 grams!

What is Quinoa? 

Kinda crazy right?  What’s great about it is, it cooks just like rice and can be used in the same ways rice would be used.  So, here’s my recipe for quinoa pilaf.

2 cups of quinoa

4 cups of chicken stock

1 packet of chicken base (Yeah… I ganked that out of a pack of ramen noodles, DON’T JUDGE ME! LOL)

1 celery rib, diced

1 cup of frozen peppers

1 cup of frozen spinach

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 tbsp. dried parsley

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Chicken base... hahahahahahaha!

Heat the olive oil in a pot and lightly toast your quinoa.  About 2 minutes.  Doing this helps to develop the flavor of the quinoa.  You can also do this with rice or any other grain you cook.

Then add in your celery and sauté it allow it to soften.  This will impart that light celery flavor that a lot of people love.  Takes about 2 minutes.

After you’ve toasted the quinoa and , add in your chicken stock.  Bring the liquid to a boil, and reduce to simmer, stirring it every so often.  Add in your seasonings.  Simmer for about 10 minutes covered, until the liquid starts to become absorbed by the quinoa.

At this point, drop in your frozen veggies, stir, and allow them to cook for another 10 minutes with the quinoa, or until ALL the liquid has been absorbed by the quinoa.

Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.  This side dish goes great with grilled chicken and fish.  Try something new!

Onward and upward…

-Vince