I now host my blog, How Do You Cook Quinoa? at howdoyoucookquinoa.com
Please stop by and share your favorite quinoa recipes.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
David Lynch Cooking Quinoa
Want to know how David Lynch cooks his quinoa? The acclaimed writer/director filmed this to promote his movie Inland Empire. In this video he prepares his quinoa in real time and shares a little story while waiting for the quinoa to cook. Great light and sound effects, of course.
If you want to cook your quinoa along with the video, you will need quinoa, sea salt, fresh broccoli, vegetable bouillon, Braggs liquid aminos, and extra virgin olive oil.
My kitchen is calling me now and demanding I cook something like this tonight.
Thanks to Marika Emerson who brought this David Lynch quinoa video to my attention by posting it on her blog.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
If you want to cook your quinoa along with the video, you will need quinoa, sea salt, fresh broccoli, vegetable bouillon, Braggs liquid aminos, and extra virgin olive oil.
My kitchen is calling me now and demanding I cook something like this tonight.
Thanks to Marika Emerson who brought this David Lynch quinoa video to my attention by posting it on her blog.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
Are you ready for something new with quinoa?
I am nuts about mushrooms and quinoa, and I also like to experiment with combining quinoa colors, so this recipe was an easy sell for me.
Besides, I didn't have enough of either white or red quinoa to measure a half cup, so a mixture made sense to me. I had a package of aging portobellos that I had rescued from the produce markdown rack, so I seemed destined to cook this dish.
A Nuttier Quinoa
Prepared this way, the quinoa doesn't cook up to look like eggs and germs. Instead, the seeds remain intact much like the results you get from soaking quinoa, though much quicker.
This recipe is based on the Red & White Quinoa Mushroom Risotta entry in the 2010 November Favourite Food Fight. If you are reading this post in November 2010, and this looks like a recipe you would cook, please visit the voting page and vote to give the author a chance at the Kitchen Aid prize package.
My photos skills continue to improve in baby steps. I got a good close up shot of the quinoa today (see below), but the lighting was yellow. The quinoa looks pretty big there, eh? Would you believe there are 210 "grains" in a 1/4 teaspoon?
Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
I halved the recipe so I started by rinsing about 1/4 cup of red and 1/4 cup of white quinoa. I heated a cup of water just to boiling and added a beef bouillon cube to dissolve in the water. I also added some cayenne pepper, perhaps 1/8 of a teaspoon. Everything can use a little cayenne.
Next, I melted a tablespoon of butter in my skillet and sauteed about 1/2 cup of onions and one pressed garlic clove until softened.
I added the quinoa to the saute and things really started to pop.
No, really, the seeds started popping all over the place so I quickly spooned in some of the broth I had made. When that water had been absorbed/evaporated, I stirred in some more broth and kept doing this until I had added all the broth.
When all the broth was gone, I stirred in 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and about 2 1/2 cups of chopped portobello mushrooms. I think I could have added about 4 cups of mushrooms to this amount of quinoa and that would have been fine.
The finished dish was delicious, albeit very chewy with the quinoa prepared this way. I know from prior experience that some of this quinoa will not be digested, I am not sure whether this is a terrible thing or not. :-0 I drank a couple of glasses of water while eating my risotto in case the quinoa soaks up more water on its way through me.
I would love to try this recipe with wine.
Omnivorous Confessions
I admit I took a vegetarian recipe and added beef bouillon instead of vegetable broth. I had the bouillon on hand and I thought it would work well here. (It did.) If I doubled the recipe though, I would still use only one cube.
You can easily prepare this vegetarian by using vegetable broth and vegan by replacing the Parmesan cheese with nutritional yeast.
So, what do you think? Is this a quinoa recipe you would cook?
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Quinoa Salad Contest on 20 Minute Supper Club Website
Are you looking for new quinoa salad ideas? How would you like to feast your eyes on 16 recipes at once? You're bound to find at least one that piques your interest.
Quinoa Salad Contest
Having squeezed out the last of my sour grapes, I finally popped over to the 20 Minute Supper Club website to check out the quinoa salads vying in the November 2010 Favourite Food Fight. Wow, the competition there is incredible.
Once again quinoa's versatility blows my mind. I have linked to the individual recipes below because the contest page will change at the end of the month, but if you are reading this in November 2010 be sure to visit the voting page where you can see all the photos on one page. Take a look at the recipes that interest you and vote for the ones you are most likely to make.
Mexican Quinoa Salad
Queenie Bean Salad
Quinoa Salad with Tomato, Basil & Parmesan
Quinoa Patties with Mushroom and Goat Cheese
Sensational Quinoa Mediterranean Salad
Autumn Quinoa with Beets and Apricots
Summery Shrimp Quinoa Salad
Red & White Quinoa Mushroom Risotto
Katryna's Quinoa
Warm Quinoa Fela Salad
Mulled Apple Cider Quinoa
Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Quinoa Salad
Curried Vegetable Quinoa
Pecan Quinoa Salad
Autumn Quinoa Salad
Cranberry Mango Quinoa Salad
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad
Look at that Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad - isn't it gorgeous? I thought it would win a prize. I really did.
Back in October I saw the 20 Minute Supper Club website requesting submissions for quinoa salad recipes. The recipes would be up through November for site visitors to vote on, and the winner would win a fabulous Kitchen Aid prize package.
So I went in the kitchen and I created this Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad to take to a dinner party. It was delicious. I created the salad two weeks before the contest deadline so I would be able to tweak it if necessary, but I was very satisfied with my first taste test. I brought the salad to a party and it was such a hit they didn't send the leftovers home with me.
The photos came out pretty kickass for me, I must say. I was sure this proved that I was destined to win.
Unfortunately, I didn't read the rules and regulations for the contest ahead of time, and when I went to submit my entry I found I wasn't qualified to enter. I had my suspicions when I saw the word "favourite" and then I came to the "residents of Canada" part.
Wahhh. I am an American and darn it, I wish I had read the rules at first so I wouldn't feel so let down.
Now that I have gotten that off my chest and have had a few weeks to completely kick myself for my mistake, I have decided it is time to share my creation with all of you.
Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad
1 tbsp red quinoa
1 cup white quinoa
2 cups water
1 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup grated carrots2 green onions, sliced diagonally
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
1/2 cup fresh cranberries, halved
3 cups baby spinach
3 tbsp toasted, salted squash seeds
Dressing
juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 pkts of sugar substitute
Rinse the quinoa. Bring the quinoa to a boil and then simmer for fifteen minutes to absorb all the water.
When water is absorbed, stir in 1 cup frozen corn and place in refrigerator for an hour to cool (or overnight if desired). If you are not a fan of raw onions and garlic you could stir them in with the corn so the warm quinoa can cook them until it cools.
Add carrots, onions, garlic, cranberries and spinach to the cooled quinoa and corn mixture. Whisk together the dressing and drizzle over the salad. Toss to coat evenly. Top with toasted squash seeds.
Easy substitutions
I used fresh cranberries because I had them on hand, and then I ended up adding sugar substitute because the salad was too tart and I was preparing this for my mom who is diabetic. You could use 1/4 cup of dried cranberries instead of fresh cranberries and omit the sweetener because dried cranberries are presweetened. Or you could use any sugar/sweetener you prefer with the fresh cranberries.
This being squash season, I have plenty of seeds each week to toast and add to salads and casseroles. If you don't have any seeds to use, I am sure sliced almonds would work as well.
I hope you are having fun with quinoa and learning new ways to integrate fresh ingredients into your lifestyle. This Spinach and Cranberry Quinoa Salad is a colorful and tasty way to introduce friends and family to quinoa.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Pink Quinoa Tweet
Another entry in my celebrity quinoa category.
The pop star known as Pink introduced quinoa to many of her 2.4 million twitter followers when she tweeted this week to ask whether it was safe to eat quinoa after storing it in the refrigerator.
Within minutes the activity around the keyword "quinoa" on Twitter became a flurry of fans trying to get up to speed with what quinoa is while others congratulated Pink on her choice and reassured her that quinoa is safe for 3-5 days in the fridge.
I was not familiar with the concern about leftover rice. I was always inclined to freeze leftover rice myself, but I don't use rice at all right now.
I am kinda keen on quinoa, you know?
BTW, @pink also wants you to know that it is not okay to ring her doorbell to ask for an autograph. So don't do it, no matter how tempted you feel. Go home and eat some quinoa and bond with Pink that way.
I'm eating Ruby Quinoa right now myself - more magenta than pink perhaps. I will have to think of a recipe for pink quinoa.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
The pop star known as Pink introduced quinoa to many of her 2.4 million twitter followers when she tweeted this week to ask whether it was safe to eat quinoa after storing it in the refrigerator.
Within minutes the activity around the keyword "quinoa" on Twitter became a flurry of fans trying to get up to speed with what quinoa is while others congratulated Pink on her choice and reassured her that quinoa is safe for 3-5 days in the fridge.
I was not familiar with the concern about leftover rice. I was always inclined to freeze leftover rice myself, but I don't use rice at all right now.
I am kinda keen on quinoa, you know?
BTW, @pink also wants you to know that it is not okay to ring her doorbell to ask for an autograph. So don't do it, no matter how tempted you feel. Go home and eat some quinoa and bond with Pink that way.
I'm eating Ruby Quinoa right now myself - more magenta than pink perhaps. I will have to think of a recipe for pink quinoa.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Ruby Quinoa
Okay, first things first, credit for this recipe goes to The Olive Press for their Lemon-Infused Ruby Quinoa. I am struggling to take close up photos that get the details of the quinoa. Their photo is much better, so go check it out if you want to see how beautiful Ruby Quinoa looks.
Grating Beets for Ruby Quinoa
While a cup of quinoa was cooking in two cups of water, I grated beets on an old school grater. I have a food processor, but it isn't a very good one and hardly worth the effort to clean. I cut the beets on a glass cutting board so I wouldn't stain my plastic one.
What If I Grate Too Many Beets?
Turns out my 4 beets grated up into more than a cup total. No worries, I threw all the beets in with the quinoa.
I have to admit that at this time, I was skeptical. I tasted the beets and quinoa together with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and it seemed dull and earthy. I went along with the recipe but I wasn't expecting to like the final product.
Lotsa Lemon
After the beets and quinoa had 10 minutes to make their marriage permanent, I cut a slice from the center of a large lemon to use for garnish and then I squeezed all of the juice of the rest of the lemon into the quinoa.
I didn't have any parsley, but I did have 1/4 cup of mint with no planned destination that I recruited for the recipe. I chopped up the mint and stirred it in.
Unfortunately, my zester is the same tool I used to grate the beets. I think I need to buy something smaller and more suited to the task because most of the zest remained on the grater. It's anyone's guess whether there was a teaspoon of zest in the final dish.
I stirred this all together and then took the photos that don't do this dish justice.
Ruby Quinoa Is Much Better Than I Thought It Would Be.
Turns out not only is this dish simply gorgeous in color, but it also tastes pretty darn good. The hot quinoa must cook the grated beets or something - altogether it works well. Good comfort food on a cold and rainy November afternoon.
I will try this again with a little rice vinegar to see if I prefer it with a little more kick, but this Ruby Quinoa recipe has my approval just as it is.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Pretzel Crisps Delivery
Adrian from Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps delivered a gift bag to me today. Isn't that car adorable?
Bless her heart, Adrian even tried to find Crazy Camel Dessert Hummus in stores for me to eat with the crisps, but it doesn't have wide distribution yet.
Fortunately, I had a jar of Nutella on hand. :-)
Look at all the loot the folks at Pretzel Crisps stuffed in that bag!
9 full size bags- 2 Original
- 2 Classic
- 2 Supreme
- 1 Tuscan Three Cheese
- 1 Garlic Parmesan
- 1 Everything
Plus 6 individual snack bags (all Original)
How did I get so lucky?
Yesterday I tweeted about trying dessert hummus at the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival and @PretzelCrisps tweeted back and offered to deliver Pretzel Crisps to my home or work. How cool is that?
What do I think of the crisps?
I ate a serving of Original flavor Pretzel Crisps with Nutella. I enjoyed them very much. The pretzels are pressed flat, like crackers, and are sturdy enough to use for dips, like tortilla chips. Light salt does not overpower the flavor. I will consider using these for entertaining during the holiday season. It's always to convenient to have something in the cupboard that works for either cheese slices or dip.
When I am shopping for Christmas week, I will compare the nutrition of the crisps to that of the graham crackers I usually serve with my tiramisu cheese ball. Maybe I will change things up this year on Christmas Eve.
What do I think of the social media marketing strategy?
I am impressed. Snack Factory is reaching out to people in their own world and bringing them samples on their terms. Snack Factory used something familiar to me, the dessert hummus, to create a conversational bridge to their Pretzel Crisps. As a consequence, I sampled their product in my home with my condiments. Very cool.
Thanks for the Pretzel Crisps delivery, Adrian and Snack Factory. I look forward to sharing your crisps with my friends and family.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
2010 Boston Vegetarian Food Festival
 | |
| Boston Vegetarian Society booth 10/31/10 |
I visited the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival on Sunday afternoon. I was very surprised that there was no quinoa booth. I walked the floor three times, tasted dessert hummus, and sipped on hemp milk, but I couldn't find anything with quinoa.
Oh well.
Dessert Hummus
The Crazy Camel Dessert Hummus booth had six different sweet hummus treats. I tasted the pumpkin pie flavored hummus...delicious.
I wondered how to eat dessert hummus when I got home and tried to describe it to my son. I mean, I suppose it is good enough to eat off a spoon, but somehow that seemed a little heavy. I bring a tiramisu cheese ball with graham crackers to my brother's house every Christmas Eve. My son said we can't mess with that tradition, so I suggested perhaps I could serve pumpkin pie hummus with graham crackers on Thanksgiving.
However, it turns out there may be a better idea. When I tweeted about my trip to the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival and dessert hummus, @PretzelCrisps tweeted back that Pretzel Crisps go well with dessert hummus and they would like to deliver treats to me. They will be here this afternoon. I am so excited.
Now I need to find dessert hummus to eat with the pretzel crisps delivery.
 |
| Boston 10/31/10 |
Mother Nut's Carob Peppermint Almond Butter Cookies
I tasted the most amazing cookies at the festival. These cookies are moist and chewy and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I read over the ingredients today and found that quinoa is the second ingredient, so I guess I managed to find some quinoa at the festival after all.
The cookies were created by a mother with a son who
If you get a chance to nosh on these cookies, go for it.
Don't let the carob frighten you. In fact, I think the name of these cookies is misleading. Yes, there is carob, but the chocolate chips overwhelm the carob flavor. And the peppermint is muted, barely discernible. The overall flavor is deep and dark, reminiscent of molasses.
Boston, You're My Home
Eating those cookies reminds me it has been too long since I last had Durgin Park's Indian Pudding. 'Tis the season.
You can see in the photo above just how pretty the city was when we were driving home.
I love that dirty water...
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You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Peruvian Asparagus: I buy Quinoa, Not Asparagus, From Peru
I fell in love with asparagus about 25 years ago when my friend's mother wouldn't listen to my protests that I did not like asparagus. She said that only people who haven't tried fresh asparagus are so sure they won't like it. Most likely I had never had it cooked properly.
That turned out to be true for me, and five years later I echoed those words to my then husband during the first spring of our marriage.
Was I trying to kill him?
He tried to tell me he was allergic to asparagus.
He said asparagus had put him in the hospital.
Really? When?
My bulls**t detector must have been spot on in those days because I called his bluff.
Go ahead, show me what this allergic reaction looks like.
One taste and he was hooked on asparagus too.
BTW, you should never tell someone to eat something to which they are allergic just to see what the reaction looks like. In this instance, I knew I was being teased.
Asparagus in the 90's
When my kids were young, we all loved asparagus. I remember I used to wait for the asparagus to come in season so for a few weeks we could eat what would be an extravagance any other time of the year. I would watch the price fall from $4 or even $5 per pound to just 99 cents per pound at peak season. I would hope the boys hadn't forgotten how much they loved asparagus a year ago.
Of course, when I served it, I would think - Who cares if you don't want some? More asparagus for me.
Over the past decade, factory farms have been cultivating asparagus in Peru that is then shipped to the US and UK. In this new global economy, asparagus is available year round and the price has stabilized. Gone are the wild fluctuations in price and availability, and now asparagus shows up in recipes and on restaurant menus regardless of the season.
I recently learned though, that this availability comes at two great costs:
1. Peru suffers because these asparagus farms are draining the water from the land.
Factory farms have bought up water rights exceeding what can be replenished. The water is used to grow asparagus, so it isn't available for the small farmers who then have to buy water.
Hey, wasn't this in a recent James Bond movie? Yes, but the country was Bolivia.
2. American asparagus farmers suffer because Peruvian asparagus farms are able to undercut their prices during the spring asparagus season, forcing American farmers out of the asparagus business.
I have no beef with Peru in general.
I love quinoa. I love Peruvian quinoa. I understand that quinoa probably doesn't grow on the same land that suits asparagus farming, and I don't have any answers to offer the Peruvian people employed by the asparagus farms.
To my mind a water thrifty crop like quinoa makes a lot more sense for a country with a falling water table. I can justify to myself buying quinoa from Peru.
But ever since I learned about the water situation, American asparagus is the only asparagus that it makes sense for me to buy.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
That turned out to be true for me, and five years later I echoed those words to my then husband during the first spring of our marriage.
Was I trying to kill him?
He tried to tell me he was allergic to asparagus.
He said asparagus had put him in the hospital.
Really? When?
My bulls**t detector must have been spot on in those days because I called his bluff.
Go ahead, show me what this allergic reaction looks like.
One taste and he was hooked on asparagus too.
BTW, you should never tell someone to eat something to which they are allergic just to see what the reaction looks like. In this instance, I knew I was being teased.
Asparagus in the 90's
When my kids were young, we all loved asparagus. I remember I used to wait for the asparagus to come in season so for a few weeks we could eat what would be an extravagance any other time of the year. I would watch the price fall from $4 or even $5 per pound to just 99 cents per pound at peak season. I would hope the boys hadn't forgotten how much they loved asparagus a year ago.
Of course, when I served it, I would think - Who cares if you don't want some? More asparagus for me.
Peruvian Asparagus
Over the past decade, factory farms have been cultivating asparagus in Peru that is then shipped to the US and UK. In this new global economy, asparagus is available year round and the price has stabilized. Gone are the wild fluctuations in price and availability, and now asparagus shows up in recipes and on restaurant menus regardless of the season.
I recently learned though, that this availability comes at two great costs:
1. Peru suffers because these asparagus farms are draining the water from the land.
Factory farms have bought up water rights exceeding what can be replenished. The water is used to grow asparagus, so it isn't available for the small farmers who then have to buy water.
Hey, wasn't this in a recent James Bond movie? Yes, but the country was Bolivia.
2. American asparagus farmers suffer because Peruvian asparagus farms are able to undercut their prices during the spring asparagus season, forcing American farmers out of the asparagus business.
I have no beef with Peru in general.
I love quinoa. I love Peruvian quinoa. I understand that quinoa probably doesn't grow on the same land that suits asparagus farming, and I don't have any answers to offer the Peruvian people employed by the asparagus farms.
To my mind a water thrifty crop like quinoa makes a lot more sense for a country with a falling water table. I can justify to myself buying quinoa from Peru.
But ever since I learned about the water situation, American asparagus is the only asparagus that it makes sense for me to buy.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Rosanne Cash Quinoa Tweet
I am starting a new category on the blog I call "celebrity quinoa" where I will highlight any celebrity connections or references to quinoa.
Rosanne Cash tweeted today about her first experience with quinoa, cooked with cranberries and scallions.
I tweeted back to Ms. Cash that she could visit my blog for quinoa recipes and she responded. Apparently Ms. Cash is an active tweeter and responsive to her following.
I don't know if that means she stopped by my blog, but I like the warm feeling I get thinking that Rosanne Cash tweeted directly to me. Social media works.
And who knows? Maybe some day Ms. Cash will stop by and share her quinoa recipe.
note added 3/17/11 - One month later, Rosanne Cash shared her Quinoa Carrot Cake recipe.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Rosanne Cash tweeted today about her first experience with quinoa, cooked with cranberries and scallions.
I tweeted back to Ms. Cash that she could visit my blog for quinoa recipes and she responded. Apparently Ms. Cash is an active tweeter and responsive to her following.
I don't know if that means she stopped by my blog, but I like the warm feeling I get thinking that Rosanne Cash tweeted directly to me. Social media works.
And who knows? Maybe some day Ms. Cash will stop by and share her quinoa recipe.
note added 3/17/11 - One month later, Rosanne Cash shared her Quinoa Carrot Cake recipe.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Easy Quinoa Salad
After soaking quinoa overnight, I tweeted to see if anyone had a good recipe.
@waterlilyto tweeted an easy salad recipe that looked perfect, so I went to the store to get some canned beans and cilantro.
One of my sons won't eat black beans, so I bought light kidney beans instead. Didn't he then take one look at the salad and declare he doesn't like kidney beans?
Wrong answer, buddy. You can only hate one bean at a time in my house.
I substituted rice vinegar because I bought it last week and I am not going to rush out and buy another vinegar any time soon.
I forgot the corn. I didn't realize my omission until we were eating.
1 cup dry quinoa, soaked overnight (about 2 cups)
1 can light kidney beans
1 can chickpeas
1/4 cup chopped sweet onions
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsps rice vinegar
2 tsps olive oil
Juice of one large lime
Salt and pepper to taste
Drain and discard the liquid from the bean cans and rinse the beans. Mix all the ingredients together in one bowl and then let it rest about fifteen minutes before eating.
Could it be any easier? Not without eliminating the fresh ingredients that make it taste so good.
The quinoa has a crunchy quality prepared this way that works well with the crisp vegetables and soft beans. If you prefer to use cooked quinoa, 2 or 3 cups of cooked and cooled quinoa should work well in this recipe.
My son, the one who now hates black and kidney beans, loved the flavors of this salad and kept calling it ceviche. I had never heard of ceviche, but a Wikipedia search shows this seafood dish originated in Peru. This makes these seasonings seem somehow true to the heritage of quinoa to me, even though there was no seafood in the dish.
Please comment with your recipes for soaked quinoa and let me know if you tried making this easy quinoa salad.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
@waterlilyto tweeted an easy salad recipe that looked perfect, so I went to the store to get some canned beans and cilantro.
One of my sons won't eat black beans, so I bought light kidney beans instead. Didn't he then take one look at the salad and declare he doesn't like kidney beans?
Wrong answer, buddy. You can only hate one bean at a time in my house.
I substituted rice vinegar because I bought it last week and I am not going to rush out and buy another vinegar any time soon.
I forgot the corn. I didn't realize my omission until we were eating.
Easy Quinoa Salad
1 cup dry quinoa, soaked overnight (about 2 cups)
1 can light kidney beans
1 can chickpeas
1/4 cup chopped sweet onions
1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsps rice vinegar
2 tsps olive oil
Juice of one large lime
Salt and pepper to taste
 |
| Large lime and penny |
Could it be any easier? Not without eliminating the fresh ingredients that make it taste so good.
The quinoa has a crunchy quality prepared this way that works well with the crisp vegetables and soft beans. If you prefer to use cooked quinoa, 2 or 3 cups of cooked and cooled quinoa should work well in this recipe.
Ceviche Quinoa
My son, the one who now hates black and kidney beans, loved the flavors of this salad and kept calling it ceviche. I had never heard of ceviche, but a Wikipedia search shows this seafood dish originated in Peru. This makes these seasonings seem somehow true to the heritage of quinoa to me, even though there was no seafood in the dish.
Please comment with your recipes for soaked quinoa and let me know if you tried making this easy quinoa salad.
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Soaking Quinoa
Some people recommend soaking quinoa every time you cook with it. Personally, I find that as long as I rinse the quinoa before I use it, I do not have any problems with bitterness or digestive upset, so I do not bother soaking quinoa that I will cook.
However, I have been interested in preparing quinoa to eat raw. There are two ways to prepare quinoa raw:
I soaked quinoa for the first time over the weekend.
To begin, I rinsed the quinoa using my plastic strainer.
Then I put the seeds in a bowl, covered them with about 3/4 of an inch of water, and placed the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. Most sources recommended soaking quinoa for 12-14 hours - I wound up soaking it about 18 hours before I made my salad.
I drained the water from the quinoa using my strainer again, and rinsed away the soapy residue on the seeds.
I measured the quinoa before I made the salad. After soaking, quinoa had doubled in size, going from 1 cup to 2 cups. This quinoa had a chewing texture somewhat similar to chopped walnuts - nutty but easy on the teeth. The seeds still looked very much as they did dry.
I am very interested in learning different ways to use soaked quinoa in my kitchen. I wonder if it can be used in cookies or if the quinoa would change when baked.
You can see the salad I made after soaking quinoa here ==> Easy Quinoa Salad.
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However, I have been interested in preparing quinoa to eat raw. There are two ways to prepare quinoa raw:
- Soak the quinoa overnight to make a nutty, crunchy salad base.
- Sprout the quinoa to make a sprout salad.
Soaking Quinoa
I soaked quinoa for the first time over the weekend.
To begin, I rinsed the quinoa using my plastic strainer.
Then I put the seeds in a bowl, covered them with about 3/4 of an inch of water, and placed the bowl in the refrigerator overnight. Most sources recommended soaking quinoa for 12-14 hours - I wound up soaking it about 18 hours before I made my salad.
I drained the water from the quinoa using my strainer again, and rinsed away the soapy residue on the seeds.
I measured the quinoa before I made the salad. After soaking, quinoa had doubled in size, going from 1 cup to 2 cups. This quinoa had a chewing texture somewhat similar to chopped walnuts - nutty but easy on the teeth. The seeds still looked very much as they did dry.
I am very interested in learning different ways to use soaked quinoa in my kitchen. I wonder if it can be used in cookies or if the quinoa would change when baked.
You can see the salad I made after soaking quinoa here ==> Easy Quinoa Salad.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Crock Pot Quinoa Lentil Stew For a Crowd
This may be the best dish I have ever cooked. Heavily seasoned with Indian spices, this stew cooks very quickly for a crock pot meal (just 6 hours on low) and fills your home with the warm scent of cinnamon.
Seriously, I think you could cook camel dung with this recipe and it would taste fantastic.
I don't have a photo of the resulting stew, so you will just have to take my word for it.
This recipe was inspired by Quinoa Red Lentil Stew on Savvy Vegetarian. I used regular lentils because red lentils were the most expensive legume at my local supermarket.
1 1/2 cups lentils
1 cup quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cut up carrots
1 cup cut up celery
2 cups cut up summer squash
1 cup cut up broccoli
2 bay leaves
2 sticks of cinnamon (about 2-3 inches long)
Several thin slices of fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp curry
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp rosemary
12 cups of water or broth
Wash the lentils and inspect for pebbles. Rinse the quinoa. Place the lentils and quinoa in the crock pot. Split carrots lengthwise and cut into pieces about 2 inches long and a 1/4 inch thick. Cut celery into chunks about 1/2 inch thick. Slice summer squash into 3/4 inch rounds and then dice. Chop broccoli stalks and cut the florets into bite size pieces. Add vegetables to slow cooker.
Mince garlic and slice ginger. Add to the stew with the spices and herbs. Pour in water or broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
I doubled the original recipe to fill my 10 qt slow cooker. I used water, not broth. I used carrots, celery, summer squash, and broccoli, but you could use just about any vegetables you have on hand. If they are already cooked, save them and add to the stew about 20 minutes before serving.
I also used a different variety of spices from the original recipe. I feel it just isn't worth the money to buy too many spices for a new recipe. And it's not green to keep buying new herbs and not using up the ones you have on hand.
I got a good deal on cinnamon sticks due to it being the fall season, and I bought fresh ginger and garlic. But I exercised some liberty by substituting a premixed "curry" for turmeric and coriander and an Italian seasoning blend for basil and thyme. I hope you allow yourself some liberty as well and make this recipe your own.
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Seriously, I think you could cook camel dung with this recipe and it would taste fantastic.
I don't have a photo of the resulting stew, so you will just have to take my word for it.
This recipe was inspired by Quinoa Red Lentil Stew on Savvy Vegetarian. I used regular lentils because red lentils were the most expensive legume at my local supermarket.
Crock Pot Quinoa Lentil Stew For a Crowd
 |
| Lentils |
1 cup quinoa
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cut up carrots
1 cup cut up celery
2 cups cut up summer squash
1 cup cut up broccoli
2 bay leaves
2 sticks of cinnamon (about 2-3 inches long)
Several thin slices of fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp curry
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp rosemary
12 cups of water or broth
Wash the lentils and inspect for pebbles. Rinse the quinoa. Place the lentils and quinoa in the crock pot. Split carrots lengthwise and cut into pieces about 2 inches long and a 1/4 inch thick. Cut celery into chunks about 1/2 inch thick. Slice summer squash into 3/4 inch rounds and then dice. Chop broccoli stalks and cut the florets into bite size pieces. Add vegetables to slow cooker.
Mince garlic and slice ginger. Add to the stew with the spices and herbs. Pour in water or broth. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
I doubled the original recipe to fill my 10 qt slow cooker. I used water, not broth. I used carrots, celery, summer squash, and broccoli, but you could use just about any vegetables you have on hand. If they are already cooked, save them and add to the stew about 20 minutes before serving.
I also used a different variety of spices from the original recipe. I feel it just isn't worth the money to buy too many spices for a new recipe. And it's not green to keep buying new herbs and not using up the ones you have on hand.
I got a good deal on cinnamon sticks due to it being the fall season, and I bought fresh ginger and garlic. But I exercised some liberty by substituting a premixed "curry" for turmeric and coriander and an Italian seasoning blend for basil and thyme. I hope you allow yourself some liberty as well and make this recipe your own.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
You may also follow @keenonquinoa on Twitter.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Delicata Squash Stuffed with Red Quinoa
I had a lot of red quinoa stuffing left after I made the Quinoa Chiles Rellenos the other day. I decided to stuff a delicata squash I had on hand.
In a classic case of photo fail, I neglected to get side shot of the delicata squash, so I cannot show you how beautiful it looked.
Delicata Squash Stuffed with Red Quinoa
1 medium delicata squash
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp honey
2-3 cups of red quinoa stuffing
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 375º.
Split the squash, clean out the seeds and guts. (I save the seeds for toasting and tossing on salads.)
Put the squash in a casserole dish cut side up with a 1/2 inch of water in dish.
Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with honey.
Cover with foil and bake 30 - 45 minuntes, until squash is fork tender.
Remove from oven and fill squash with stuffing.
Return to oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Put the squash in a casserole dish cut side up with a 1/2 inch of water in dish.
Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with honey.
Cover with foil and bake 30 - 45 minuntes, until squash is fork tender.
Remove from oven and fill squash with stuffing.
Return to oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Red Quinoa Stuffing
This is the stuffing I used in Quinoa Chiles Rellenos.
Red Quinoa Stuffing
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water or broth
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt as desired
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup green onions sliced on the diagonal
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
Bring the quinoa, water, spices and salt to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet and add carrots. Cover and cook 2 minutes.
Add corn and onions and saute uncovered for 2 minutes to thaw the corn.
Stir the vegetables and 1/2 cup of cheese into the finished quinoa.
Makes 5 cups of stuffing for peppers or squash with 1/2 cup cheese remaining to sprinkle on top before baking.
You can also spread stuffing in casserole dish and heat 10 minutes at 400º.
You can prepare this stuffing ahead and then reheat in 350º oven for half hour. Sprinkle cheese on for last 5 minutes of baking.
I used this stuffing to stuff delicata squash.
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Quinoa Chiles Rellenos
I am of the opinion that when you find a new recipe that calls for several new ingredients that you don't already have in your kitchen, it's a good idea to substitute some things you already have to keep the price reasonable and to avoid a cupboard full of one off ingredients you don't like or aren't sure how to use.
Of course, you risk not creating exactly what the author intended.
Quinoa Chiles Rellenos
I cooked these poblano chilies with red quinoa stuffing recipe loosely following the quinoa Chiles Rellenos recipe that ran on the Dallas Morning News site last week. `
How Much Quinoa Stuffing Do You Need?
This recipe makes much more stuffing than necessary for four peppers. I could have halved the recipe and still I would have had leftovers. If you make this, either cut the stuffing in half or buy about ten chilies to stuff.
I was somewhat disappointed with my results. Probably my fault, I tinkered with the recipe. I was afraid the stuffing wouldn't have enough flavor, so I added 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder and 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper to the quinoa. The stuffing was fantastic but with the poblanos it was too hot for our palates. We scooped out the stuffing and left the peppers uneaten. (I know, damn yankee.)
Peel Me a Poblano
Charring the skins takes a long time. I don't know if it would have gone quicker on a grill, or if I should have had the skillet hotter, but I spent fifteen minutes charring them and they still weren't easy to peel in places. Not sure I ever plan to try that again.
I also did not care for the diced carrots blanched. Next time I would saute them with the corn (didn't have peas on hand) and the green onions.
Smoked Cheese On My Mind
I looked in the specialty cheese case at my local supermarket and I could not find scamorza cheese. I can understand the opinion that there is no good substitute for this cheese. I have felt that way about smoked provolone ever since I moved away from Pennsylvania and I cannot find it in Massachusetts stores. Meatball subs don't taste right to me without smoked provolone.
To get back to the quinoa chiles rellenos, I used my usual Vermont sharp cheddar instead of a smoked mozzerella.
I skipped the sausage because that's how I roll these days. :-) Just as well, I would have had another cup of stuffing leftover.
This is how everything looked before I stirred it together.
Very colorful and aromatic.
Would I Do It Again?
When I think of Chiles Rellenos, I think of something swimming in white sauce or cheese, so this recipe didn't move me (though I bet with the scamorza and the sausage, it would have been a treat.)
One of my sons says he prefers the red quinoa, so I will be cooking with it again. I used the leftover stuffing to stuff delicata squash. I will make this red quinoa stuffing recipe again, though I likely won't stuff poblanos with it.
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Friday, October 15, 2010
Quinoa: Calories Don't Tell the Whole Story
There's a tweet circulating today from @EatThisNotThat. I trust they are trying to teach us to make educated decisions about the food we eat.
I suppose they mean well.
However, having appointed myself defender of all things quinoa, I felt I must respond to this tweet. You can see I needed more than 140 characters.
This tweet lists quinoa in the top position and with an exclamation point. One might infer that all other things being equal, quinoa would be the worst choice on the list.
BUT
all things are not equal, not all calories are created equal.
Yes, it is true you must eat fewer calories than your body uses each day if you want to lose weight. You have to be aware of the calories in the food you eat and you have to make choices.
Once you start counting calories it becomes even more important to consider the whole package you get with your calories. If you eat fewer calories, you have to be more careful about filling those calories with the nutrition you need.
I went to the USDA nutrition database to make a few comparisons. You might think from the list in the tweet that brown rice (216 calories) and quinoa (222 calories) are interchangeable, but quinoa has 80% more protein and nearly 50% more fiber for about the same calories. Plus the quinoa cooks in less than half the time of brown rice, making it a better choice for many households.
Yes, a cup of bulgur has about 2/3 the calories of a cup of quinoa, but it also has about 2/3 the protein, 1/2 the magnesium, and 1/4 the phosphorus. When I look at quinoa's total nutritional profile, I know that the more quinoa I include in my diet, the more calories I can safely cut without making nutritional sacrifices.
I could point out that oatmeal has significantly less protein, calcium, iron, but you get the point. Besides, when was the last time you served beans and oatmeal?
My son got off work a little early today and came home hungry. Knowing it was too early to expect supper, he asked how to make more Salsa Quinoa Con Queso. (No, he doesn't read the blog, just eats the food.)
I told him he would have to make the quinoa from scratch because I didn't have any leftover quinoa. He was game (this stuff is that good) and twenty minutes later we all had a tasty snack that will tide us over until dinner. He did not bother putting it in the oven, just mixed all the ingredients together once the quinoa was cooked. He was light on the salsa because we didn't have much left in the jar.
I can't think of anything more nutritious that would go over so well with teenagers. So easy they can make it themselves.
Remember when you are counting calories, you need to make those calories count.
Quinoa calories are packed with the nutrition that helps me make the most of the carbs I consume.
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I suppose they mean well.
However, having appointed myself defender of all things quinoa, I felt I must respond to this tweet. You can see I needed more than 140 characters.
This tweet lists quinoa in the top position and with an exclamation point. One might infer that all other things being equal, quinoa would be the worst choice on the list.
BUT
all things are not equal, not all calories are created equal.
 |
| red quinoa on scale |
Once you start counting calories it becomes even more important to consider the whole package you get with your calories. If you eat fewer calories, you have to be more careful about filling those calories with the nutrition you need.
Quinoa Calories and Nutrition
I went to the USDA nutrition database to make a few comparisons. You might think from the list in the tweet that brown rice (216 calories) and quinoa (222 calories) are interchangeable, but quinoa has 80% more protein and nearly 50% more fiber for about the same calories. Plus the quinoa cooks in less than half the time of brown rice, making it a better choice for many households.
Yes, a cup of bulgur has about 2/3 the calories of a cup of quinoa, but it also has about 2/3 the protein, 1/2 the magnesium, and 1/4 the phosphorus. When I look at quinoa's total nutritional profile, I know that the more quinoa I include in my diet, the more calories I can safely cut without making nutritional sacrifices.
I could point out that oatmeal has significantly less protein, calcium, iron, but you get the point. Besides, when was the last time you served beans and oatmeal?
Quinoa Afternoon Snack
My son got off work a little early today and came home hungry. Knowing it was too early to expect supper, he asked how to make more Salsa Quinoa Con Queso. (No, he doesn't read the blog, just eats the food.)
I told him he would have to make the quinoa from scratch because I didn't have any leftover quinoa. He was game (this stuff is that good) and twenty minutes later we all had a tasty snack that will tide us over until dinner. He did not bother putting it in the oven, just mixed all the ingredients together once the quinoa was cooked. He was light on the salsa because we didn't have much left in the jar.
I can't think of anything more nutritious that would go over so well with teenagers. So easy they can make it themselves.
Remember when you are counting calories, you need to make those calories count.
Quinoa calories are packed with the nutrition that helps me make the most of the carbs I consume.
Did you know if you aren’t subscribing to How Do You Cook Quinoa? at the new domain, you risk missing out on new posts and quinoa recipes? Not mention the upcoming quinoa contest. Subscribe today and learn tasty new ways to enjoy quinoa along with other exciting (and sometimes exotic) ingredients.
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Thursday, October 14, 2010
Turmeric Red and White Quinoa With Mint
I had some colorful fun with my quinoa over the weekend. I wanted to use the red quinoa I bought last week, but had no particular red quinoa dish in mind. Then I remembered a new bottle of turmeric and I started to think how pretty turmeric quinoa would be with the red to offset it.
Turmeric Red and White Quinoa With Mint
1 tbsp of red quinoa
Enough white quinoa to measure 1 cup total
1 3/4 cup water or stock
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 oz (roughly 1 cup) mint leaves chopped fine.
I put the tablespoon of red quinoa into a cup and then filled the rest of the cup with white quinoa. I tried cooking the quinoa with a little less liquid than a straight 2:1 ratio, and I like the texture of the quinoa better this way. I used water and stirred in the turmeric and salt before bringing to a boil.
I simmered the quinoa for 15 minutes.
All the water was absorbed, so I stirred in the mint leaves and let the pot of quinoa sit, covered, for about three minutes before serving.
I served this pilaf with vibrant vegetables (summer and zucchini squashes, red bell pepper, onion) sauteed with garlic and ginger.
Very delicious, aromatic, and visually appealing dish!
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Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Green Egg and Mushroom Quinoa
Oh yeah, look at that baby. Your mouth is watering.
I received inspiration for today's lunch in the form of a tweet.
I checked out the recipe and thought I still have plenty of leftover quinoa on hand. No Swiss chard, but I do have baby spinach. And I have been craving eggs all morning.
From there Julie's Green Eggs & Quinoa morphed into this outstanding lunch.
Green Egg and Mushroom Quinoa
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup baby spinach leaves
1 egg
1 tsp Parmesan cheese.
Put the quinoa, mushrooms and spinach in a medium hot non-stick skillet with a tablespoon of water. Cover for about three minutes to wilt the greens.
Stir it up, shape the quinoa, make a well.
Drop an egg in the well, cover pan and cook on medium-low for 5 minutes to set the egg.
Remove from pan with a spatula and spoon any loose quinoa from pan to plate.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Wow, just telling you about this makes me think I will have to cook this again for supper. YUM. The quinoa crisps on the edges and the mushrooms soften but retain their shape. Just a little bit of cheese adds aroma and flavor without overpowering the dish.
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