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Mexican Quinoa Casserole

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Quinoas are seeds or grains that originated from the Andes in South America. It is high in protein and it is a good source of daily fiber. Apart from these, it is also gluten free and easier to digest. Here’s a deliciously healthy dish that you will definitely enjoy.

 

Ingredients:

1 bell pepper, diced

1 cup quinoa, uncooked

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup sweet onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 14oz can black beans, drained & rinsed

2 10oz can rotel

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

1/4 cup salsa

3/4 cup corn

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Place the broth in a large pot under high heat. Cook the quinoa in the broth according to package instructions.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and sauté the garlic, jalapenos, onions and bell peppers. Cook it for 2-3 minutes until soft. Add the black beans, rotel, corn, chili powder, oregano, cumin and red pepper flakes. Cook it for 3-5 minutes or until all the ingredients or until warm.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork and add it to the other ingredients in the skillet. Mix well. Transfer it to a greased baking dish. Sprinkle the quinoa mixture with cheese. After, bake it in the oven for 30 minutes. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with salsa.

 

Photo Courtesy Of:  mary_thompson

 

Quinoa, Sweet Potato and Broccoli Salad

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The low GI Quinoa used for this dish is great – it’ll keep you fuller longer, plus it’s packed full of proteins, vitamins and minerals.

Quinoa

The range of Vegetables in this dish give it a great mix of colours, tastes and textures, and it’s easy enough to change the Red Pepper for a change.

To Serve 1
100g Quinoa, uncooked
Vegetable Stock, enough to cook the Quinoa in
1 Sweet Potato
1 Red Pepper, diced
Handful of Broccoli Florets
2tbsp Olive Oil
1//4tsp Cayenne Pepper
2tbsp Lemon Juice
Zest of ½ Orange
Salt and Pepper, to taste

1. Bake the Sweet Potato in the Oven at 190C for around forty to forty five minutes, or until soft and tender. Peel and Dice the flesh. At the same time, cook the Broccoli in boiling water until cooked, then trim any excess from the stalks.
2. Simmer the Quinoa in the Vegetable stock, until the liquid has gone, and the Quinoa is light and fluffy. Remove from the heat, and allow leave to cool.
3. Once cooled, mix the Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Red Pepper together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the Lemon juice with the Orange zest, Olive Oil and Cayenne Pepper.
4. Gently toss the Lemon and Orange Dressing with the Vegetables and Quinoa, then season with Salt and Pepper.

Photo Courtesy of: avlxyz

Keen on Quinoa

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I recently attended a talk-slash-lunch on nutritious eating, and on the menu was something I had never tried before. It looked a little like couscous, tasted a little like rice, and yet was neither: it was quinoa (“keen-wa”).

I had seen it before on the shelf of my local health food store, but the truth was that it looked a little too much like birdseed to me. What a revelation, then, to discover just how absolutely delicious and satisfying this pseudo-cereal is.

Despite its similarity to rice and couscous, quinoa is not a grain- it’s a grain-like crop that is closely related to beets and spinach. Seriously. And it’s nutritious: high protein, high in essential amino acids, high in fiber, phosphorous, magnesium and iron, it’s also gluten-free. Yay!

Yes, it looks like birdseed. But birdseed never tasted this good. And once you try cooking it this way, you’ll love it:

Delicious Quinoa

1 cup quinoa
1 cup water
1 cup broth of your choice (chicken, pork, beef, vegetable, etc.!)

Put quinoa, water and broth in a deep saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook about 15 minutes. You want the quinoa to absorb all the liquid, and its grains to become transparent.

Serve with a stir-fry of fresh vegetables.