Quinoa is a South American grain that has full protein in it so it won’t spike blood sugar levels. It looks like couscous and can be found near rice and other grains. The preparation is much like rice with a similar yield. One cup of uncooked quinoa yields about 4 servings.
Before cooking the quinoa, roast some organic veggies of your preference, such as red peppers, zucchini, onion, and garlic. Toss the cut-up veggies in good-quality extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread them on a baking sheet. Roast at 400° for about 30 minutes, turning the veggies every ten minutes.
To prepare the quinoa, soak it first in cold water for 5 minutes to remove a substance that covers the grain and can impart a bitter flavor. Then rinse the grain under cold running water for a couple of minutes. To cook the quinoa, add one part of the grain to two parts liquid in a saucepan. After the mixture is brought to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover, cook for about 15 minutes. When cooking is complete. you will notice that the grains have become translucent, and the white germ has partially detached itself, appearing like a white-spiraled tail. Variation: if you desire the quinoa to have a nuttier flavor, you can dry roast it before cooking but after rinsing. To dry roast, place it in a skillet over medium-low heat and stir constantly for five minutes.
Add the veggies to the quinoa. Serve as a hot side dish. Leftovers make a delightful salad the next day; just drizzle a little olive oil on it to moisten.
