Curried Quinoa Salad

In the mood for something healthy that won't leave you starving (or groaning) when you're done? You're looking for quinoa. It is an amazing grain that is loaded with protein, easy to make, delicious and satisfying. Quinoa cooks just like rice, has a soft texture when cooked, and is neutral in flavor. The USDA National Nutrient Database says that 1 cup of cooked quinoa contains 8.14 grams of protein, 5.2 grams of dietary fiber, and a variety of other nutrients. 

It happens to be my humble opinion that people need to incorporate more vegetable-oriented meals into their diets. I am not advocating becoming a vegetarian - I love meat too much for that. Rather, my point is simply that protein doesn't need to be the main component of a meal, or necessarily take the form of meat. Quinoa is an easy, and typically palatable, starting point for those who are hardcore carnivores. 

To be perfectly honest, I stumbled upon this recipe tonight and hardly followed the original recipe. Turns out I wasn't able to wait for the quinoa to cool before I ate it, and it was delicious warm - I'm sure it's great as a cold salad, but I haven't tried it yet.

Curried Quinoa Salad

Ingredients 

1 cup dry quinoa

2 cups water

2 tsp Chicken stock base*

½ tsp curry powder

pinch salt

¼ cup canola oil (or EVOO)

2 T. white wine vinegar

2 T. mango chutney, chopped if chunky

2½  tsp curry powder

1tsp prepared mustard

a sprinkle of cayenne pepper

(1 cup chopped peeled mango)

1 cup peeled and diced cucumber

1 bunch green onions, sliced

Method

To make the quinoa, add the quinoa, curry powder, and stock base into the pot, and put over medium heat. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn, and that the stock base becomes soft, and melts into the quinoa. Once you can smell the curry, add the water and salt; give it a stir. Turn the heat to high, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, put a lid on and turn the heat to low and set the timer for 15 minutes. This process is like cooking rice – you’re steaming the quinoa, so don’t lift the lid to peak. There may be some extra liquid at the end, but that’s ok. Just turn the heat up to medium and cook it off. (happens to me all the time)

Meanwhile, in a bowl large enough to hold all of the quinoa, add the mango chutney, vinegar, mustard, and curry powder, and whisk to combine. Whisking vigorously, add the oil slowly until the dressing is combined. When the quinoa is cooked, add it to the bowl with the dressing, and stir to combine. Add a sprinkle of cayenne and salt to taste. Let cool. Once cool, add the diced cucumber and scallions.

The quinoa is very good still warm with the cucumber and green onion on top. (Which is how I had it for dinner)

The original recipe called for adding diced mango to the salad – I didn’t try it because I couldn't find it at the store tonight. It also called for serving the quinoa on top of spinach, which I did – not great. Might be better with a yogurt dressing – like an Indian raita – over the whole salad if you use the spinach.

Adapted from Epicurious.com on 1/3/11; available at www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Curried-Quinoa-Salad-with-Mango-232544

* Chicken stock base is a kitchen staple - you can find it in all grocery stores by the packaged stocks/broths.  The link is to the Better Than Bullion brand, which is what I use. It's great because you'll always have as much, or as little, stock as you need.

Quinoa Tabouli

Tabbouleh/Tabouli is a Middle Eastern dish, typically made from wheat bulgar. There are a multitude of variations that are dependent upon the region, such as the Turkish version, kisir. Tabouli is a fantastic dish in the summer - it's cold temperature and light flavors won't put you to sleep after eating. Perhaps most persuasive is that there is little cooking involved.

I love this version with quinoa in place of the bulgar because quinoa has a ton of protein and cooks just like rice.

Ingredients
2 cups chicken/veggie stock
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
3 tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
4 green onions, diced
3 carrots, grated
1 lg clove garlic, grated (or pasted)
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped (or palm full of dried parsley)
Salt and Pepper

Method
Preheat a saucepan to medium heat and toast the quinoa for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock, lemon zest, a little salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes; fluff with a fork.

In a large bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and parsley. Toss with the quinoa when its done – allow to cool. Meanwhile, chop the veggies.

Once quinoa is cool, add the tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Toss to combine. You may need to add more olive oil if the mixture becomes dry as it cools.


*This dish traditionally has fresh mint as well, but I never have any on hand. If you do, chop it up and toss it in.

Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew

Sometimes things go as planned, and sometimes they don't. For example, the weather on Sunday was beautiful - mid-50s and sunny. That didn't stop me from sticking to my plan: staying inside cooking and reading all weekend.

I decided to make this dish for a few reasons - it sounded delicious, and we bought a lot of spices at the spice market in Istanbul that I haven't used yet. Plus, I am always looking for new recipes to use quinoa in; it is a complete protein and a grain!

The flavors in this dish are very comforting and hearty, with a slight suggestion of heat as you finish your bite. If you're leery of the cayenne, start with a 1/4 teaspoon and see what you think. You can always add more, but you can't take it out.

Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Stew
Ingredients:
Stew
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 cup chicken/vegetable stock
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (from 1 1/2-pound squash)
2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled carrots
1 can Chickpeas
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint, divided

Quinoa
2 cup quinoa* (Pronounced keen-wa)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
4 cups chicken/vegetable stock

Method:

For stew: 
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 1 minute. Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients. Add 1 cup stock, tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Add squash and carrots. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes; add the can of chickpeas after the first 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)

For quinoa: 
Melt butter with oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, salt, and turmeric; sauté 1 minute. Add quinoa; stir 1 minute. Add 2 cups stock. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover; simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
NOTE: Sometimes I find a lot of liquid in my quinoa after 15 minutes and it tends to be too firm yet. So, I turn up the heat to medium, remove the lid, and check it after about 5 minutes. Use you best judgment - if it seems undercooked, it probably is. Don't be scared of this grain; it's pretty hard to screw it up.


Rewarm stew. Stir in the cilantro and mint, reserving about 1 tablespoon of the cilantro for garnish. Spoon quinoa onto platter, forming well in center. Spoon stew into well. Sprinkle remaining herbs over.

* You can find quinoa in the natural section of the grocery store, or at a specialty market. It's a grain that has lots of protein, and it tastes great. If you're still not impressed or persuaded, go ahead and use rice.

Adapted from Bon Appétit | January 2006
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-with-Moroccan-Winter-Squash-and-Carrot-Stew-233714

Made on 10/18/09.