By Julie Andrews
Quinoa patties
Photo by Julie Andrews
If you’ve been paying any attention to food trends, you’ve probably seen quinoa popping up more and more in restaurants and grocery stores. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) has been called a superfood because it contains more protein than any other grain. It’s also a source of complete protein, meaning that it provides all of the essential amino acids. Other grains, such as rice or barley, provide only half of the essential amino acids. The reason quinoa is a complete protein is that it is actually a seed but it’s hyped as a grain because of its shared characteristics and similar cooking methods. Here, I have a quinoa recipe that is great for introducing people to this unique food.
In my humble opinion, quinoa, in all its crunchy, nutty glory, is delicious and super good for you. I got addicted to quinoa one summer when it was featured in one of the prepared salads at Wegmans. Although the salad is no longer available in stores, this recipe comes very close to the original.
Red Quinoa and Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
2 and 1/2 cups red quinoa,
cooked to package directions and chilled
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 avocado, sliced into 1/2 inch cubes
3/4 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon vinaigrette
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
To assemble the salad simply add all of the ingredients to a bowl and gently mix. I like to toss the avocados in the dressing first to give them a good acidic coating, which will help to prevent browning.
I like to cook more quinoa than I need and save some for later use. Cooked quinoa can be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for about four days or in the freezer for up to two months.
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