I am sorry,
I feel like I have been gone forever,
First, was a wonderful weekend spent skiing at Stevens Pass,
Then my husband left for a week in Japan,
then the cold and flu season hit Seattle and with three kids, can you guess who got sick,
me of course.
I am pretty sure it was the gluten and dairy free get-well cake that my daughter made me that helped me get better!! (The very first cake she has made by herself.)
Back to the present (and the future), if your New Years Resolution is to try something new, or lose weight, or eat healthier and you have not yet tried Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), then now is the time.
Quinoa is a gluten free grain that comes from the Andes Mountains of South America.
It is one of the healthiest grains containing more protein than any other grain -
The protein in Quinoa is high in in the amino acids lysine, methionine and cystine.
It is extremely easy to prepare for a quick, filling and healthy side dish or meal.
On first sight, you might think "my kids will never eat this", but once prepared it actually taste much like rice.
You can easily substitute Quinoa in any recipe that contains rice.
Prepare it in your rice cooker (an appliance I highly recommend for any gluten free kitchen - it will make life easier and you will use it over and over) by adding two parts water to one part Quinoa.
On the stove top, place 2 cups water water and 1 cup Quinoa in a 1 1/2 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed - about 15 minutes.
Quinoa with Green Apples
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 Granny Smith Apple diced
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1 cup cooked chicken (optional)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- gluten free soy sauce to taste
Prepare the Quinoa as above. Once cooked, toss with the above ingredients and season with gluten free soy sauce to taste.
Experiment with new ingredients you have in your kitchen.
We often combine Quinoa with whatever we happen to find in the kitchen as a quick and easy side dish - it is great with red onions and dried cranberries.
Feeling a little more ambitious, then try this:
Roasted Potatoes with Quinoa
Great as a side for any meat dish, for my vegetarian it is filling enough to eat as a meal.
- 1/4 olive oil
- 1 pound red potatoes, cut into wedges
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- 3/4 cup Quinoa
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 T fresh rosemary (or 1 t dried rosemary) optional
- 1/2 cup green onions
- grated cheddar cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a casserole or roasting pan.
Put the potatoes and garlic in large pot of salted water and heat on high. When the water begins to boil, add the Quinoa. Continue to boil for 5 minutes.
Drain the Quinoa, garlic and potatoes in a strainer, but leave them a little wet.
Spread in the prepared pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and stir in the rosemary.
Roast for 15 minutes.
Stir and roast for an additional 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Roast longer for a crisper potato.
Toss with the green onions and add more salt if needed.
Optional - for the extra finish, top with grated cheddar cheese and return to the oven until melted, another 5 minutes or so. Still need more, spread a little sour cream over the top before serving.
Our favorite recipes are indexed on Gluten Free Mom.com.
Send me yours!!
