Quinoa | The Wannabe Chef

Tag Archive: Quinoa

Peas And Carrots Quinoa

Written on October 11, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I’ve never understood why there are so many pea blogs out there, and then it hit me: I can’t remember ever trying peas before. I’ve had snap peas, but never peas out of their pod—at least not ever since I’ve been old enough to remember. I used to ice my legs with frozen peas I stole from a common room refrigerator, but that doesn’t count I don’t think. I even went to London where I was promised there would be mushy peas and I never saw any. What a disappointment. So when I went to Trader Joe’s and saw a bag of frozen peas for fairly cheap I thought I’d try them out.

Peas and carrots seem to be the quintessential baby food. I’m not sure why; they’re two vegetables that just about anyone can enjoy. Dressed up with quinoa, they’re perfectly good for adults, too. And these were good. Now I see why all the fuss over peas. I can’t believe I’ve gone so long without trying them! Never again. I find their sweet, earthy pop of flavor addicting. I absolutely couldn’t get enough of this when I made it, and you won’t be able to either.

Peas And Carrots Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

1 cup uncooked quinoa, washed and drained
1/2 cup cooked peas
1 carrots, sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon honey(optional)

Method:

Bring the quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil over the stove.
Add in the carrots and cook until the quinoa has soaked up all of the water.
Add in the peas, salt, and honey. Mix and fluff the quinoa. Move to a serving bowl and serve hot.

More peas, please.

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Banana Breakfast Quinoa

Written on October 6, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Breakfast

Breakfast is almost never a planned meal around here. I’ll wake up and see what I can cook in the microwave and have ready to eat in less than 5 minutes. That works most of the time, but once and a while it’s nice to change things up and eat something that actually has some thought put into it, like this breakfast quinoa.

There’s no reason to just eat quinoa for lunch or dinner. It has a fairly plain taste on its own and can easily be made savory or sweet. It’s especially good as an oatmeal replacement for gluten-free people because you don’t need to worry about buying gluten-free quinoa the way you do rolled oats. For as good as it tastes, this bowl is really easy to whip up, too, using leftover quinoa from your last meal.

If you don’t have leftover quinoa for this but still want to make it, cooking a batch only takes 15 minutes. For each 1/2 cup cooked quinoa you’ll need 1/4 cup uncooked quinoa and 1/2 cup water brought to a boil and covered until all the water’s been absorbed.

Banana Breakfast Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 1 serving):

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 banana, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon maple syrup(optional) plus more for drizzling
2 Tablespoons crushed walnuts

Method:

Using a fork, mash the banana in a bowl into a smooth puree.
Add in the quinoa, cinnamon, and salt and mix together. If the quinoa’s not sweet enough, add the maple syrup to enhance the flavor.
Move into a serving bowl and add on top the walnuts and more banana and maple syrup if desired. Serve as a cold breakfast or—if you prefer—heat it up in the microwave or oven like a hot cereal.

You can really top this with anything. It’s especially good served hot with a melting dollop of PB&Co.’s Mighty Maple on top.

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Orange And Herb Quinoa

Written on October 4, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Side Dish

I’ve gotten into a practice—a good practice—where I make a big batch of quinoa over the weekend using this method to heat and serve throughout the week. It saves me a lot of time and dramatically increases my options for meals when I don’t really have the patience to cook or turn on the oven.

I usually cook the quinoa in just water(as opposed to veg stock) because I’m never quite sure what I’m going to use it for. Sometimes I like it dressed up in Asian flavors like in this fried quinoa recipe and other times with more Western ingredients like this recipe, which I could just as easily see served with roasted chicken and mashed potatoes. It’s an easy way to dress up leftovers so that it doesn’t taste anything like it started as.

Orange and Herb Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes(longer if you aren’t using leftover quinoa)

Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

2 cups cooked quinoa(or 1 cup uncooked quinoa and 2 cups water)
Juice from 1/2 an orange(2-3 Tablespoons)
Zest from 1/2 an orange
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon herbs de Provence(or any other seasoning blend)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons sugar(optional)

Method:

If using uncooked quinoa, bring to a boil over the stove with the 2 cups of water and cover with a lid until the water’s been absorbed and the quinoa shows that it’s cooked like above.
Mix the cooked quinoa with all of the other ingredients thoroughly. Adjust the taste by adding more salt or sugar.
Serve cold or heat up briefly in the microwave or oven for a warm side dish.

Shown with kale, tempeh cooked in soy sauce, and black olives.

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Fried Quinoa

Written on September 26, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

The downside(or benefit depending on how you look at it) of making things like quinoa in big batches is that you have the same old food meal after meal. Luckily, quinoa is one grain that’s easy to dress up. You can eat it in the morning in place of oatmeal, or later on in place of rice. Here I used it to make a tasty, higher protein version of fried rice.

I’ve never really found rice interesting, even as fried rice from a halfway decent Chinese takeout restaurant. This, however, I could eat meal after meal. The vegetables and egg add a play of textures and the quinoa has a nice nutty flavor to it to compliment the sesame oil. Add some stir-fried tofu or chicken and you’re good to go.

Of course, if you have leftover rice you could make the same recipe subbing in rice for quinoa and have a more traditional dish.

Fried Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Ingredients(makes 2 servings)

1 cup cooked quinoa
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 Tablespoons soy sauce(use wheat-free tamari for a gluten-free meal)
1/2 an onion, diced
1 bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup bean sprouts
4 eggs

Method:

Heat the oil and soy sauce in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until the oil starts to bubble.
Add in the onion and sauté until translucent.
Add in the quinoa, pepper, and bean sprouts. Toss the pan to mix. Cook until all the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa on the bottom of the pan begins to pop.
Crack the eggs directly into the pan. Lightly mix them in with the other ingredients. Continue mixing until the all the whites and yolks have cooked through.
Plate and serve hot. Can be kept in the refrigerator and reheated as leftovers for up to 3 days.

I ate this as leftovers and it was most definitely better the next day, with a strong, nutty sesame flavor and crunchy bean sprouts.

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How To Cook Quinoa In A Rice Cooker

Written on September 23, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in How To, Side Dish

Last year around this time I bought a rice cooker. Since then I’ve made rice approximately 2 times, both being for other people. I just don’t care for rice. Why’d I buy it then? To cook other things like quinoa.

Quinoa is traditionally made in a pot on the stove. That method works well if you have a full kitchen, but there are definitely benefits to using a rice cooker, too.

You don’t have to watch a rice cooker as much as a burner.
Rice cookers with “keep warm” settings make it easy to serve warm food even during a busy party.
You can use a rice cooker almost anywhere there’s an electrical outlet—even in a dorm room.

I use a Zojirushi rice cooker. They’re one of the more expensive brands but totally worth the extra cost. This will last for years and years, is easy to clean, and has plenty of cooking features. I’ve made a number of different things in it, from quinoa to date paste. It’s worth the investment if you’re in the market for a rice cooker.

How To Cook Quinoa In A Rice Cooker

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 4 servings):

1/2 an onion, small diced
1 large carrot, small diced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups water or stock
3/4 teaspoon salt(omit if using salt)

Method:

“Sauté” the carrots and onion in the bottom of the rice cooker by cooking them in the oil on a high-heat setting until the onions are translucent.
Add in the quinoa, liquid, and seasoning if using. Close the lid on the rice cooker and cook on high for 15-20 minutes until the liquid has boiled off. The quinoa will be ready when it has doubled in volume and a “tail” sprouts from the end.
Fluff the quinoa with a serving spoon and serve hot or let cool and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Once you get comfortable preparing basic quinoa, you can make more complex recipes, all while still using your rice cooker. Here are a few of my favorites that I have picked to make for Fall:

Vegged-Out Quinoa

The Best Quinoa Dressing

Savory Pumpkin Quinoa

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Honey Recipe Round-Up

Written on May 8, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

I love honey. Like, I really love honey, a maybe-I’ll-stop-after-3-spoonful’s-straight-from-the-jar kind of love. It’s light sweetness is perfect for sweet and savory foods which make it a chef’s best friend. Here are a few of my favorite dishes with honey in them. Hopefully you’ll find something you like enough to make for your honey(aren’t I a hoot?).

January 11th 112

Vegged-Out Quinoa

February 22nd 031

Roasted Squash With Caramelized Onions and Craisins

December 27th 025

Hot Honey Asian Chicken Marinade

January 24th 049

Honey Butter Blondies

Speaking of honey…

It’s the 2nd ingredient and only sweetener in Perfect Foods Bars, and there’s still 2 more days to enter the giveaway, so go do so if you haven’t!

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Italian Quinoa With Fava Beans

Written on March 31, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Quinoa is the perfect canvas for any recipe. You can add flavors from any culture, any sort of ingredients and have it be delicious, cohesive, and filling. This was my first time trying fava beans and I loved how their meaty texture matched the sundried tomatoes and olives. This has quickly become a new favorite potluck dish.

Italian Quinoa With Fava Beans

Ingredients(Makes 3-4 servings):

1 dry cup quinoa, rinsed
1/4 cup diced black olives
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained
1 can fava beans, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Cook the quinoa in 2 cups of water until all the liquid has been absorbed. Add more water if need be.

Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix while fluffing the quinoa. Serve hot or cold.

Am I wrong to think you must serve this with a nice chianti? You can skip the liver though.

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Chickpea, Quinoa, and Kale Medley

Written on March 1, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Entree

Here’s to March being the best month of the year. Since my birthday’s at the end of March, I figure there will be a lot of cake and cupcake recipes around then so I might as well start the month with something healthy.

Matt has mentioned on his blog and in his e-book about the combination of a grain, a green, and a bean. Well, my favorite grain is quinoa, bean is chickpea, and green is kale, so I thought I’d make a recipe with those three ingredients. And a little butter and honey never hurt.

Chickpea, Quinoa, and Kale Medley

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1 1/2 cups chopped kale
1 Tablespoon butter
1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook the quinoa completely either in a rice cooker or over the stove. Make sure there’s no excess water in the pot with it.

Add in the chickpeas and kale.

Next add to the pot the butter, honey, salt, and vinegar.

Stir until the butter has melted and it’s all one dish. Serve hot or cold as leftovers.

I don’t know whether it was because I was getting over the flu and started getting my appetite back or because I just love honey + butter but I think I broke a world speed record eating this.

Yeah, I hated it.

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One Of Those Weeks…

Written on February 26, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Miscellaneous

I think Longweekenditis is a real disease, even though WebMD doesn’t give you anything when you search for it. It was just one of those weeks…

When you make the same thing for each meal because you’re low on groceries and uninspired to try something new.

quinoa + frozen spinach + leftover chicken + olive oil = perfection

When whenever you cough someone in the room thinks a horse is dying.

When you make the most absurdly delicious fudge on Thursday afternoon because the week just needs it. Don’t worry; that post’s coming.

When your family tells you they think your pet’s spirit lives in a Rhode Island casino and you think they’re crazy until you realize if you were dead you’d probably haunt that casino, too, because then you’d get visited way more than if you were in some cemetery.

When you run out of groceries a little early and salsa goes from being a condiment to being its own food group.

When there’s so little going on in your life that the highlight of your week is a soap opera wedding(who else is excited for EJ and Taylor’s story line? Don’t lie…).

When the one day a week you plan on going to the store it’s raining buckets. If only there were some sort of 21st century way to tell what the weather’s going to be; my Farmer’s Almanac keeps failing me.

But hey, it’s not all bad: Two and a Half Men production has been shut down. There is a God and he hears my prayers.

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What Would Your Last Meal Be?

Written on January 23, 2011 by Wannabe Chef in Recipe Round-Up

On Wednesday when I was ~~wasting my time on~~ perusing Twitter, I came across this article on the real last suppers death row inmates chose. I thought it was a fascinating look inside the inmates mind. I was surprised with some(like the smoker. What kind of meal is that?) and sympathized with others(I mean, who doesn’t want to sit down to a burger, fries, and a milkshake?). And then I started asking myself the very same question: What would my last meal be?

My initial reaction was that I’d eat all the things with gluten I can’t but crave—Dunkin’ Donuts lemon filled powder donuts, Boston Market mac n’ cheese, and a big chewy chocolate chip cookie. But after thinking about it I realized I don’t want to go out of this world gassy and bloated; I’ll take my vanity to the grave.

So then I thought I’d eat a really good Holiday meal with food like the best quinoa dressing, whole roasted chicken, and fingerling potatoes.

Who am I kidding? That’d be a great healthy meal to eat before a race, but it’s no last meal. I don’t have a sweet tooth; I have 26. So I’d more likely have to order a dessert platter.