Well, well, well...look who's blogging again! Yes, it is officially autumn, a dreary looking day, and my day off from work. What better time to try a new recipe or two!
So for a few years I have been hearing about Quinoa, pronounced (KEEH-wah), and that it is good for you. I finally bought a package over the summer and it's been sitting in my pantry ever since. So what's so great about Quinoa? I decided to google it and landed on ecoki.com where I learned a few facts about "KEE-wah".
* It has twice the protein of most other cereal grains, has fewer carbohydrates and has healthy fat's (Omega 3's).
* It contains all of the essential amino acids.
* It is high in lysine, which is an amino acid important for tissue and growth repair.
* It is a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and iron.
So, I'm thinking that this little side dish I made is part of a good post workout meal. I think you could actually eat this dish for breakfast or serve it at dinner with grilled chicken. I would go with the latter since I tend to stick with yogurt and melon for breakfast.
This recipe comes from the "Choices" Magazine, Fall 2010. (I have altered it a little.)
1 Onion, chopped
1 tsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup dry Quinoa, rinsed
1 cup Chicken Broth
3/4 cup Dried Cranberries
2 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Slivered Almonds or Sunflower Seeds, toasted
In a medium pot over medium heat, saute' onion in the oil until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the quinoa and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Add water and broth and bring to a boil.
Cover pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Turn off heat.
Add cranberries, parsley, and almonds (do not stir yet) and replace cover. Let sit for 5 minutes, then gently combine all ingredients.
Enjoy!
