Say "Wha?" It's Quinoa!

Chewy, crunchy, yum-tastic, gorgeous-ity-of-a-grain...quinoa is divine. I wanted to make some for dinner tonight. Glad I did!

For those not yet exposed to this awesome, healthy grain, this is what it looks like:

Quinoa has a nutty flavor, though looks a tad funny when cooked. It's a complete protein, so the next time you wonder if vegans and vegetarians get enough protein, here you go.

I buy it from the bulk bins at the supermarket. If your neighborhood store doesn't have bulk grain and flour bins, Bob's Red Mill brand sells it. Here is an ad I found in the February 2010 issue of "Vegetarian Times" magazine:

I found a recipe on VegWeb.com, great site, and figured that since I had all the ingredients, well, I should probably try it out! Minor adjustments made, of course.

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=20724.0

1 tbsp Earth Balance veg butter

1/2 Vidalia onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne

S&P

1/2 bag frozen corn (more or less)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

a few springs of green onions, garnish

Heat Earth Balance butter in pan. Saute onions first, then garlic (don't burn!!). Add quinoa to the same pan so it gets coated in butter. Add vegetable stock before the quinoa starts to burn. Bring to a boil, stirring. Drop temperature to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Liquid should almost be soaked up. Add frozen corn and black beans to quinoa and warm. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Probably took me about 30 minutes total between prep and cooking. Great as a side dish, but can be eaten as a main course.

TA-DA!!!! Pretty, no?

Jes