quinoa

Learning to cook with quinoa is so easy and a grain that has 6g of protein per serving (1/4 cup dry) is worth learning to use successfully. (Compared to 5g of protein in rice per serving of 1 cup).

Quinoa can be found in the rice isle.... in a box.

Quinoa mac n cheese.... the first thing I cooked with it. Yes, it was good (isn't all mac n cheese good?). No, it was not that good for you. It still had a lot of cheese and fatty dairy.

Baked quinoa mac n cheese

Quinoa salads are really the way to go. It does well with some vegetables added and a summery dressing. I tried this one and loved it.  Pinterest has a lot of quinoa recipes. The next one want to make has cherry tomatoes, black beans and a spicy dressing.

Lemon Basil Quinoa salad:
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 15 oz cans of chickpeas
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Salad Dressing:
1/4 cup of lemon juice
3 tbs Olive Oil
1 tbs white vinegar
1 tbs dijon mustard
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper

Instructions:
Combine quinoa, water, the Italian seasoning and basil in a small pot or saucepan. Boil water, then let it simmer until all water is absorbed by the quinoa (stir occasionally), about 10-12 minutes. Combine dressing ingredients. Add cooked quinoa and chickpeas. Chill in fridge before serving.