Have you jumped onto the quinoa bandwagon yet? While quinoa was once obscure and difficult-to-pronounce, today it rules as the darling of the health food aisle. The United Nations General Assembly went so far as to declare 2013 “International Year of Quinoa”!
And it’s easy to see why. Quinoa’s robust nutritional profile includes significant amounts of iron, magnesium and fiber, and the popular seed is a complete protein.
Then there’s the texture and the taste. It’s fluffy, soft and oh-so-satisfying. It’s also very easy to pair with a multitude of main dishes or to incorporate it into recipes, salads and sides. Quinoa truly is a wonderful staple to keep on hand in your kitchen.
My weekend routine includes making a big batch of quinoa to enjoy throughout the week. Here’s the quick and easy way to make flavorful, nutritious quinoa…
1 cup quinoa, any color variation (uncooked)
½ teaspoon olive oil
2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable) OR water
½ teaspoon sea salt
Place the uncooked quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse under cold water while swishing with your hands to remove the small amount of natural bitterness. Drain thoroughly.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add the quinoa and toast, stirring often, until golden and dry, about 2 minutes.
Add the broth (or water) and salt to the pan and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes.
Remove the pot from heat and let stand, without removing the lid, for 5 full minutes. Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa gently with a fork. Serve and enjoy!
Calories: 81
Fat: 2g
Carbohydrates: 14g
Sodium: 118mg
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g
Sugar: 0g