PLease share your favorite quinoa recipes

[Chocolate Rose]

Dh is diabetic and we've had to cut waaaaay back on our rice consumption. Even brown rice is not working well for him. I cooked with quinoa years and years ago, but I guess I forgot about it. I was at Costco the other day and picked up a bag of quinoa, I'm hoping to make a switch from rice to quinoa and would love some ideas on what to do with it so that dh and dd will enjoy it.
TIA

[oceanjasper]

This is my favourite!

Quinoa Corn Salad with Cilantro, Chives, and Lemon-Lime Dressing
Source: Rebar Modern Food Cookbook

Grains are often overlooked in the salad department. This cool, south-of-the-border salad is an excellent alternative to rice in a Mexican spread. Quinoa was one of the acient staple foods of the Inca civilization and is now being cultivated in the U.S. It has the highest protein content of all the grains and is also a very good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, B vitamins, and vitamin E. Quinoa is quick and easy to cook. The only fussy part involves an initial rinsing to rid the grain of bitterness. One of the many endearing qualities of quinoa is the cute little spiral impressed upon each individual grain when it's cooked...you have to see it to believe it!

Serves 6

1 cup (240 ml) quinoa
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) corn, fresh or frozen
1 small red onion, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1/2 red pepper, finely diced
3 tbsp (45 ml) lemon juice
3 tbsp (45 ml) lime juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped cilantro
3 scallions, minced
2 tbsp (30 ml) finely minced chives
1 tsp (5 ml ) salt
1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) Tobasco sauce, or to taste

Step 1:
Place quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly with cold, running water. Bring water to boil in a small pot, add the quinoa and salt and bring to a boil again. Cover and reduce heat to low for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the pot covered for an additional 5 minutes. Strain off any excess liquid and spread the quinoa out to cool on a tray while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Step 2:
Steam or lightly saute corn until just tender and cool to room temperature. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and gently toss. Season with additional salt, pepper or hot sauce to taste. Serve with fresh lime wedges.

[Canice]

Since it tends to be quiet around here on weekends, here's a start.

[dreamer101]

This is a Weight Watchers recipe.

Quinoa and Spinach

Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 12 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, minced
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 cups Organic Quinoa, rinsed (or purchase pre-rinsed quinoa)*
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups spinach, baby leaves, packed, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp table salt

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add quinoa to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Add broth, black pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes; stir in spinach. Cover skillet and cook until spinach and quinoa are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt.

Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Notes
*To rinse quinoa, place quinoa in a fine wire-mesh sieve. Place in sink and set under cold running water until water runs clear; shake off excess liquid.

Quinoa is available in the grain or natural food section of the supermarket.

To make this recipe pareve, cook the quinoa in vegetable broth or water.

[HealthyinMN]

Here are some quinoa recipes from us!

Polpette with Quinoa, Parmesan and Sage (Adapted from New Whole Grains Cookbook)



1/2 cup red wine
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup dry quinoa, well rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
12 ounces ground sirloin
4 ounces uncooked hot Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
1 ounce fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 large egg
1/8 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a small saucepan, add wine and stock - bring to a boil and stir in quinoa. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover and if there are any excess liquids, drain. Set aside and let cool.

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a large bowl, add garlic, parsley, ground sirloin, sausage, Parmesan, sage, egg, nutmeg and salt. Press down on the quinoa to extract any liquid. Add quinoa to the meat and mix to combine.

Evenly divide the mixture into 4 pieces. Shape each into an oval about 3" in length and place on a rimmed baking sheet coated with olive oil spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.


Quinoa and Potato Croquettes (Adapted from CL)



1 medium russet potato
2 cups water
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup cottage cheese, drained
3 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

Use a fork to pierce the potato several times - place in the microwave and cook until tender, checking for tenderness and turning every couple minutes. It should be ready in 5-10 minutes. Place potato in a clean towel and let stand for 5 minutes. Peel and place potato in a medium bowl - mash with a fork.

In a medium saucepan, add water and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa and salt - cook 15 minutes , then drain any remaining water.

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Place the onions, cilantro and jalapeño in the skillet - cook 1 minutes. Stir in cumin, oregano, black pepper and garlic - cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the quinoa, onion mixture, cottage cheese and cheddar cheese to the mashed potato and mix well. Let stand 5 minutes to cool, then mix in the egg.

Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions and shape each into a patty. Being gentle, dredge each patty into the panko breadcrumbs. Set on a baking sheet, cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Carefully move 5 patties into pan and cook until each side is golden brown - about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm. Repeat with remaining patties and oil.

Makes 5 servings of 2 Croquettes.


Quinoa-Spinach Bake (Adapted from Martha Stewart)



1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup dry quinoa, well rinsed
16 ounces spinach, leaves picked and washed
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium saucepan, add broth and rinsed quinoa - bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, add spinach and cook until the spinach is bright green, about 10 to 20 seconds. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to cool it down. When the spinach is cold, remove and squeeze out all water. Finely chop the spinach and set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary and crushed red pepper - cook until the onion softened, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and place the mixture into a medium bowl.

Add cooked quinoa, spinach, ricotta, salt, pepper and eggs to the onion mixture, stirring until well combined. Scoop the mixture into an 8" x 8" baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Bake until set and edges are lightly golden, about 50 to 60 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Makes about 4 to 6 servings (or 8 if you choose to serve this as a side).


Toasted Quinoa, Snow Peas, Tomatoes, and Mozzarella Salad (Adapted from CL)



1 1/2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed and well drained
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup diagonally cut snow peas
3 ounces small (or diced) fresh mozzarella balls
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped seedless cucumber
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extravirgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper sauce

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat - add quinoa and cook, stirring often, until toasted - about 5 - 7 minutes. Stir in broth and water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and gently fluff with a fork - let cool.

Scoop the cooked quinoa into a large bowl and add the peas, cheese, onion, cucumber, mint, basil and tomatoes - gently toss together.

In a small bowl, whisk together zest, juice, oil, mustard, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper sauce until well combined. Pour this over the quinoa mixture and gently toss again to coat.

Makes about 4 to 6 servings.


Quinoa Stuffing with Leeks, Walnuts and Cherries (Adapted from CL)



2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts

In a medium saucepan, bring broth and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil. Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed - about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, let stand 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks, celery, 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and sage - cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Mix in quinoa, cherries and walnuts - heat just until warmed through.

Makes 4-8 servings.

[cherylopal]

Originally Posted by oceanjasper

This is my favourite!

Quinoa Corn Salad with Cilantro, Chives, and Lemon-Lime Dressing
Source: Rebar Modern Food Cookbook

I second the rebar recipe and this cooking light one is fantastic too- even my nonfoodie friends love and request it.

Black Bean-Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing
From Cooking Light

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
1 (14-ounce) package reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (I leave out)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans (I use edamame)
4 cups chopped tomato (about 3 medium)
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat.

Place tofu on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saut� tofu 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; cool completely.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, basil, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Stir in quinoa.

Cook lima beans according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Cool completely. Add the lima beans, tofu, chopped tomato, green onions, chopped carrot, and black beans to quinoa mixture; stir gently to combine. Store, covered, in refrigerator until ready to serve.

[over50newbie]

Quinoa with Chick Peas

2 cups of quinoa
2 cans of chick peas (also called garbanzo beans)
olive oil
2 big cloves of garlic - chopped
2 cans stewed tomatoes
1 small bag of slivered almonds
hot sauce to taste
salt and pepper to taste
juice of a lime or lemon (optional)

Cook quinoa according to directions on the box. Put into a casserole dish.

Preheat Oven to 450°
Rinse chick peas and spread them out onto a baking sheet. Don’t pile them onto each other; make sure that your pan is big enough so that they are in one layer on the pan. Drizzle them with olive oil. Roast them until light brown and starting to crack. Add them to the quinoa.

In a frying pan, drizzle some olive oil and add onions. Cook on medium-high heat until caramelized. Add garlic and cook until tender. If the mixture becomes too dry, add a little more olive oil. Add almonds and cook until toasted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add stewed tomatoes. Lower heat and cook for 5 minutes until the stewed tomatoes are incorporated into the rest of the ingredients. Add hot sauce (either Tabasco or a Louisiana Hot Sauce) to your liking. My family likes it spicy.

Add the onion mixture to the casserole.

Add the juice of a lime or lemon (optional)

Mix well.

Serve immediately or you can refrigerate it and heat it back up the next day.

I like it better the next day!

Lynette

[Chocolate Rose]

Thanks, so much, for all of your recipes!
I made quinoa cooked in chicken broth tonight as a rice substitute. Both dh and dd LOVED it. So, now I'm ready to move on to the recipe you've posted. I'd love to see more if anyone else has a recipe to share.
Thanks, again!

[Canice]

Joe, that stuffing looks really nice. I like quinoa salads fine but prefer it as a warm side dish; do you think that (or quinoa pilafs) would reheat OK in the oven?

[dreamer101]

I really liked the Quinoa Stuffing with Leeks, Walnuts, and Cherries. I kept with the original CL recipe till near the end. I thought I had all the ingredient but I was missing the walnuts and cherries! I ended up using cranberries and slivered almonds. It tasted great. I've also tried the Quinoa Turkey Meatloaf . It tastes a lot better than it looks on the website. Here's a few other quinoa recipes I've tried.

Lemon Quinoa With Asparagus And Feta
serves 2-4

In this delicious, healthy dish, nutty quinoa is paired with the bright flavors of asparagus and lemon. Feta adds a salty tang.

2 cups quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, minced
3 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
8 ounces feta, crumbled
Juice of 1 lemon

1. Bring 4 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in medium saucepan. When the water boils, add the quinoa and stir. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all the water, 15-20 minutes. Set aside covered for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

2. Meanwhile, prep the rest of the ingredients. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it's hot and shimmering, stir in the shallot. Cook, stirring often, until the shallot is light brown, 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the asparagus and thyme and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is tender but still bright green, 8-10 minutes. (Add a tablespoon or so of water halfway through cooking to steam the asparagus a little).

4. When the asparagus is done, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the quinoa, then the crumbled feta, lemon juice and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


Red Beans And Quinoa With Mint
serves 2-4

Here's a way to make simple canned red beans deeply flavorful. Quinoa is a gluten-free and whole grain substitute for the traditional bed of rice.

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 shallot, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
1-inch piece turmeric root, peeled (or 1 teaspoon turmeric powder)
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 serrano chile
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 24-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
10 mint leaves, thinly sliced

1. Put the quinoa in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the quinoa expands and absorbs the water, 15-20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered.

2. Meanwhile, prep all the ingredients except the mint. Put the shallot, garlic, turmeric, ginger, serrano, cumin and vegetable oil in a food processor and purée until smooth to make a spice paste.

3. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the spice paste and stir. Cook, stirring often, until it’s fragrant, 2-4 minutes. Add the beans and stir to coat with the paste. Add the chicken broth. Simmer until the sauce is thick and the beans are about to burst, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the mint and serve the beans over the quinoa.


Breakfast Quinoa With Cranberries, Walnuts And Honey
serves 2-4

There are more grains for breakfast than oatmeal - this hearty quinoa is sweetened with dried cranberries and honey. It's perfect for a cold winter morning.

3 cups quinoa
6 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped and toasted
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
honey, to taste

1. Rinse the quinoa in a bowl or fine strainer until the water runs clear. Fill a medium saucepan with the water and salt. Bring to a boil, then stir in the quinoa. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the quinoa has absorbed almost all the water, 10-20 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set the quinoa aside to steam and finish cooking.

2. Meanwhile, heat the walnut pieces in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Toast, tossing the pan often, until they smell good and darken some in color, 3-5 minutes. Remove them to a plate to cool.

3. Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork,. Then place the quinoa pan over medium heat. Whisk in the milk, butter, and brown sugar. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring often and adding more milk until it's as thick or thin as you like. Stir in the cranberries and the walnuts. Pour the quinoa into bowls and drizzle to taste with honey.

[Mary Ann]

Originally Posted by Canice

Joe, that stuffing looks really nice. I like quinoa salads fine but prefer it as a warm side dish; do you think that (or quinoa pilafs) would reheat OK in the oven?

Not Joe, but I agree that it does look good. One of the reviewers on My Recipes prepared it the night before and reheated in the oven, so I'd say go for it.

[Randi R]

I'mgoing to make every single one of these, they all look so perfectly wonderful... Here's one I raved about last winter when we did a Vegetarian Month at home. It was the best of the best for us:

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

olive oil
1/2 med onion, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
2/3 TBSP ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, mined
1 10-oz package spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes, drained, liquid reserved
1/2 can black beans
3/8 c quinoa
2 large carrots, finely copped
1 1/2 c grated parmesan
2 oz grated goat guyere
4 large red pappers, halved lengthwise
sherry vinegar
salt & pepper

* Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, garlic and cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin, cook 1 minute. Add spinach and drained tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated.
* Add black beans, quinoa, carrots and 1 c water (and a splash of white wine if you're of a mind to). Cover, bring to boil and reduce heat. Simmer about 20 minute until quinoa is tender. Stir in 1 c cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; add sherry vinegar to taste.
* Pre-heat oven to 350. Stuff quinoa mix into four pepper halves. Place in large baking dish. Pour liquid from tomatoes into baking dish. cover with foil. Bake about 1 hour. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 15 minutes or until peppers are browned.
Serve drizzled with pan juices.

[ErinM]

I thought I'd bump this up to say that quinoa is great with leftover chili, if you're the type of person who likes to eat yours with rice or noodles. And it cooks very quickly and perfectly in the rice cooker!

Any thoughts on using quinoa as a sub for rice with curries? I know the 660 curries thread said brown rice tends to overpower curry, but was wondering if the same would hold true for quinoa. Either way, I'm sure at some point I'll give it a shot, since when I order out Indian food, I always have more curry than rice, so end up making my own to finish out the curry.

[TheresaM]

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ma..._grain/?page=1

CHILI-MOJITO QUINOA SALAD
SERVES 6
Include the jalapeno seeds and membrane for a spicier dish.
Salt and pepper
4 ears corn, shucked
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
1 tablespoon grated zest and 5 tablespoons juice from 2 limes
2 teaspoons honey
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped, or more to taste
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, cut into 1 1/2-inch slivers
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) black beans, rinsed
In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and the corn, and cook until kernels are heated through and tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the corn and cool, then cut off kernels and place them in a large bowl (you should have 3 to 4 cups).
Return the water to a boil, add the quinoa, and cook until almost tender, about 10 minutes, then drain the quinoa in a strainer. Add about 2 inches of water to the pot, reduce heat to medium, and bring water to a simmer. Set the strainer with the quinoa over (not touching) the water, cover the quinoa with a clean, folded kitchen towel, place the pot lid over the strainer, and steam until the quinoa is tender and dry, about 10 minutes. Cool the quinoa briefly and add it to the corn, then fluff and mix with a fork.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix lime zest and juice, honey, jalapeno, and 1/4 cup mint. Vigorously whisk in the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture, add 2 teaspoons of salt, red onion, black beans, and the remaining mint, mix, and serve.

LEMONY QUINOA AND ASPARAGUS WITH SHRIMP SCAMPI
SERVES 6
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed
Salt and black pepper
1/2 pound asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into
1 1/2-inch lengths
1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest and
1/4 cup juice from 1 lemon
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined (if desired), rinsed, and dried
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
Cayenne pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsleyContinued...
Adjust the oven rack to the center position, place an ovenproof serving dish on rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees. In a large nonstick saute pan set over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, until quinoa smells toasty, about 4 minutes. Add 2 3/4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is just tender, about 12 minutes. Off heat, sprinkle the asparagus over the quinoa, replace the cover, and set pan aside until quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid and the asparagus is tendercrisp, about 12 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, season with black pepper and additional salt, if desired, and stir. Transfer the quinoa to the warmed serving dish, spread it out to make a bed, and place in the oven to keep warm.
Wipe out the saute pan with a paper towel, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and set over high heat. When the oil just begins to smoke, add half of the shrimp and cook, without moving, until they begin to turn opaque, about 1 minute. Quickly turn the shrimp and cook until fully opaque, about 45 seconds longer, and transfer to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan, and repeat the process to cook the remaining shrimp. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan, place over medium-low heat, and when the butter has melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the wine and a pinch of cayenne and stir to blend. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan, add the parsley, season with salt to taste, and stir to combine. Remove the serving dish from the oven, pour the shrimp and its juices over the bed of quinoa, and serve at once.

[Valerie226]

This was posted not too long ago by KimKelly. I modified ti a little but really enjoyed it.

Savvy Vegetarian's Mexican Style Quinoa Black Bean Salad

We had this one last week and it was excellent! As I'm always on the market for more quinoa ideas I thought I'd share.

Savvy Vegetarian's Mexican Style Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:

* 1 cup quinoa
* 1 1/2 cups cold water
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 cups cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* Optional: 1 carrot, peeled, halfed lengthwise, sliced thin diagonally
* Optional: 1 cup chopped fresh yellow or green beans
* 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1 Tblsp minced fresh ginger
* 2 garlic cloves, minced, OR 1 tsp garlic powder
* 1 red pepper, sliced thin
* 1 green pepper, sliced thin
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* 1 tsp coriander powder
* 2 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
* 1/4 cup chopped scallions
* Optional: 1 large ripe tomato
* Optional: 1/2 cup sliced olives
* Dressing:
* 2 Tblsp freshly squeezed lime juice
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 tsp salt
* Fresh ground pepper
* Pinch cayenne or chili powder

Directions

1. The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refridgerated
2. Soak the quinoa 1/2 hour in cold water
3. Rinse very thoroughly in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer
4. Place in 2 qt pot with 1 1/2 c. water and 1/2 tsp salt
5. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes
6. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes covered
7. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool.
8. Saute jalapeno, fresh garlic, in 2 Tbsp oil until garlic is browned, pepper and celery are softened
9. Add the green and red peppers and saute briefly
10. Add the cumin and coriander, cook and stir 5 minutes
11. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
12. Gently combine sauteed veggies, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
13. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro and scallions, and serve warm or cover and chill for later