The Gold of the Incas - Quinoa

As a vegetarian and vegan "flirt," I'm constantly looking for new meals that pack a ton of nutrients, flavor, and depth to them.  Since shying away from meat, processed food, and most dairy, the list of what I can purchase at a grocery store has become quite small; which definitely has it's pro's and con's. Experimentation and willingness to try new foods is a must for my lifestyle.  So when my Mom made this amazing new quinoa salad for me to try, I knew I had to feature it on here.  Thanks Mom!  



Originating from South America, quinoa was considered the "gold of the Incas" which they thought to be sacred. The Incas knew what was good for them!  This superfood is packed with lots of amazing nutritional value, such as:  

Complete protein 
High in dietary fiber
Magnesium/Manganese
Riboflavin
Phosphorus
Iron




Ingredients: 
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup cranberries
Handful of chopped pecans
1/4 cup of grated carrots
1 tablespoon chopped chives
2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons oil

Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. 
Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes and fluff with a fork. Add cranberries, pecans, carrots, and chives. 

Whisk together dressing of oil and vinegar. 
Pour over quinoa and toss well. 

I'd love to experiment with quinoa some more and try different salads; maybe a ginger dressing with broccoli and walnuts. Yum!  Have you had quinoa before?  If so, what is your favorite way to cook and eat quinoa? 


Happy Friday!
 Hope your weekend is full of delicious food, good company, and productivity...I know mine will be! 


-KateLainey


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10 Responses to The Gold of the Incas - Quinoa

  1. Oh, I adore quinoa - it's a new discovery for me, too, but I am trying to use it as a rice/pasta substitute. I like it with roasted pumpkin, cherry tomatoes & pine-nuts, some baby spinach and a handful of chopped sundried tomatoes. Yum!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love the recipe girlie! I looooove quinoa and I think I've finally introduced it to every family member by now :) Now my mom cooks with it on a weekly basis and I even got my youngest college-age brother to venture out of the dorms to a health food store in search of qunioa! hehe.

    The cranberry and pecan combination sounds fabulous.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes! Something delicious featured on your blog! Saving this post :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've been a vegetarian for 22 years (!!) and I LOVE quinoa! I actually eat it in place of rice with Indian and Thai food. So yummy.

    xo,
    melissa

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mhhhhmmmm...yammi :D


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    ReplyDelete
  6. i had quinoa for the first time at a local restaurant, but it was prepared with berries, honey, and cream. it's delicious!

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  7. I've only made quinoa once, on a hiking trip when I added a package of Ramen flavoring as an afterthought. I've been looking for better ways to serve it, though, and I'll be trying your recipe for sure! Thanks!

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  8. I've only made quinoa once, on a hiking trip when I added a package of Ramen flavoring as an afterthought. I've been looking for better ways to serve it, though, and I'll be trying your recipe for sure! Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I've been a vegetarian for 22 years (!!) and I LOVE quinoa! I actually eat it in place of rice with Indian and Thai food. So yummy.

    xo,
    melissa

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the recipe girlie! I looooove quinoa and I think I've finally introduced it to every family member by now :) Now my mom cooks with it on a weekly basis and I even got my youngest college-age brother to venture out of the dorms to a health food store in search of qunioa! hehe.

    The cranberry and pecan combination sounds fabulous.

    ReplyDelete

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