I know I know, I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love quinoa. What's not to love? High protein, whole grain, quick cooking and great tasting make it a pantry staple in my house. The only thing you NEED to remember about quinoa is that you have to wash it well before cooking it. This is easily done in the pan you will be cooking it in. Just pour in the quinoa add some water, grab a handful and rub it briskly between your hands then rinse with fresh water. Repeat this and all the saponins which can make quinoa bitter will be washed away and you'll be ready to get cooking.
This vegetarian main dish is quite a hit at our house. I think it must be the toasted walnuts, feta and green olive combo or perhaps the fresh tomatoes and basil? Whatever it is we can't get enough of it, hot or cold, it disappears around here.
Toasted Walnut Quinoa
1 1/2 cups dry quinoa
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 TBSP olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted
1/2 cup feta crumbles
1 cup stuffed green olives, sliced
3 large tomatoes
1/4 cup packed basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
pour quinoa in to pan and wash as described above, when finished drain as much water off as possible
add 3 cups of water and salt
bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the quinoa is soft and the water is gone
if any water remains simmer with the lid removed to cook it away or simply drain it off
while the quinoa is cooking toast the walnuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat until toasted, then set aside
also slice the olives and chop your tomatoes in to bite sized pieces
when the quinoa is done cooking add the oil and garlic, stir until well mixed
add the walnuts, feta, olives, tomatoes and basil leaves, stir well until they are mixed throughout the salad
taste for salt and pepper, adjust if necessary
serve hot or cold
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| bowl of yummy goodness! |
Alright friends time to link up and inspire each other. I am LOVING all the recipes coming through here each week and the wonderful new blogs I am discovering. So grab the button, link up, get inspired and have fun!!
Peace and Love--
10 comments, thoughts, ideas, random words or haikus:
I can't believe I haven't tried quinoa yet! I've always been a bit worried about it, but now I've read your post I feel much more confident about cooking it. Your recipe sounds so delicious, I'll definitely have to make it!
Ooo, I love quinoa. And walnuts? Wow, I bet I would gobble the dish up in no time at all!
~Aubree Cherie
Oh, walnuts and feta sound like such fabulous additions to the quinoa! This is a dish I'd definitely dig! Linked up homemade cultured butter/buttermilk today =)
I love quinoa! I make a quinoa salad that we love but your recipe sounds very tasty too. Thanks for hosting - my recipe for this week is black bean cakes with Cilantro Cream Sauce.
I share your love of quinoa - and I'm drooling over this recipe. The walnuts! The olives! The feta! Wow, what a yummy combination. I wish I were having this for lunch today!
I'm going to link up my quick roasted tomato sauce from last week. Its tomato time in my neck of the woods and they are sooo good this year! :)
I also LOVE quinoa! I go in streaks though with cooking it. I haven't made it in a couple of months now, even though I have a huge Costco sized bag in the cupboard! Thanks!
Hello,
We bumped into your blog and we really liked it - great recipes YUM YUM.
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Hooray! Something I can eat! (I have Celiac's) Thanks for the recipe---
Mmmmm quinoa! My favorite! I so often do it the same way over and over again - I like the addition of the feta and olives, etc. FYI I will add the minced garlic while it's boiling. It won't burn there and adds a bit more taste throughout that way - it mellows it a little.
Hi Laura! So sorry to be late to the party, but I like to make a grand entrance! ;) Thanks for sharing your space with us. Your quinoa salad looks great. I love to mix the milder quinoa with bold flavors too so the texture is queen but its not too bland! My recipe this week is for wild foraged rose hip syurp. We are starting a foraging and herbal challenge in the near future for food and remedies so I figured I better get some practice! This remedy is high in vitamin C, easy to make, delicious and has great pain relieving properties!:) Alex@amoderatelife
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