Quinoa (similar to regular white rice, brown rice and other grains such as wheat and barley), is actually a seed, but can be prepared like whole grains such as rice. Try this quinoa salad recipe.
Quinoa has a wonderful nutty flavor; here it is blended in a salad with toasted almonds, bell pepper, zucchini, celery, and a lime is squeezed on top
INGREDIENTS
· 1/4 cup slivered almonds
· 1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
· 4 teaspoons olive oil
· 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· 2 scallions, thinly sliced
· 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
· 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
· 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
· 1 large celery stalk, diced
· 1 lime, halved
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.
4. Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into 2 containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad, if desired. Serve with additional lime wedge and thyme, if desired.