# One way to prepare Quinoa



## Inspirationalchef (Feb 25, 2015)

Preparation time: 10min, Cooking time: 30min

What do you need:
1/2 cup of quinoa
1 cup of water
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon of oregano
1 pinch of chili powder
1 can of chopped tomatoes
300g mixed chopped vegetables (eg. carrots, eggplant, leek, zucchini, red peper)
oil to fry


First rinse quinoa with water, then start cooking it in boiling salty water. Add a pinch of sugar and then leave to swell. Meanwhile start frying the chopped onion, a chopped clove of garlic with oregano, chili in some oil in a pot. Next you add the vegetables, the can of chopped tomatoes as well as the chopped basil in the pot and let it cook for about 15min, as after about 20 minutes the quinoa is done swelling. When it is tender, both can be mixed and served.


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## Kayelle (Feb 25, 2015)

I'm trying hard to like* Quinoa and this sounds tasty. Thanks for the recipe, and welcome to Discuss Cooking.*


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## Cheryl J (Feb 25, 2015)

Thank you for sharing, Inspirationalchef, and welcome.  Sounds good.  I've make something similar but I added black beans to it.  

Kay, have you tried the pre-rinsed quinoa?  It doesn't have the bitter taste that some unrinsed quinoa has if it's not rinsed well enough, and much easier.  Ancient Harvest is the brand name here, and it's in a small box about the size of a Rice A Roni box.


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## CharlieD (Feb 25, 2015)

I've been using soup instead of water. Add some, sauteed onions,  sun dried tomatoes and lightly toasted pine nuts. Works.


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## CraigC (Feb 25, 2015)

Done tried it and it just isn't for me. It is the "lima bean" of the grains for me.


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## jennyema (Feb 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> Done tried it and it just isn't for me. It is the "lima bean" of the grains for me.



I love Lima beans.  Quinoa not so much....


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## medtran49 (Feb 26, 2015)

jennyema said:


> I love Lima beans. Quinoa not so much....


 
My aunt, who has been a vegetarian for a LONG time and who I hadn't seen for years and years until a couple of years ago, told me to rinse and rinse and rinse, and then rinse some more, even if it's pre-rinsed.  So, we tried it again and all the bitterness was definitely gone but Craig still didn't like it.  I think it was the texture as much as anything else.  The husband of a friend likens it to eating bugs and feeling the crunch/pop of it as you chew.  I don't know if he had actually eaten whole bugs to know that or was just imagining - didn't want to know.   

We tried freekeh recently.  It was okay but I need to look some more to find tips on cooking it and maybe find a different recipe.  Had to buy a pound of it so we've got quite a lot left and it wasn't cheap.


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## TomW (Feb 27, 2015)

jennyema said:


> I love Lima beans.  Quinoa not so much....


That's pretty much my current sentiment.

We bought a two-pound bag at Sam's because neither Kim nor I had any experience with quinoa.  I have cooked it several times in the rice cooker with a little butter & salt.  No one salivates.

We probably will not purchase anymore after this bag is empty.

Tom


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## Cheryl J (Feb 27, 2015)

I hardly ever eat it plain, I almost always mix it in with something else. Mixed in with scrambled eggs is a favorite of mine, and I use it often in place of rice when I make avocado, rice, and black bean tortilla wraps. Just throwing some ideas out there.  

One of my fave summer salads is quinoa mixed up with whatever veggies I have in the fridge - this one is with cucumbers, spinach, red bells, onions, carrots, and tomatoes, with EVOO and lemon juice. Italian dressing is also good with it, and feta or shaved parm.


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## Kayelle (Mar 1, 2015)

Whoa now, hold it Cheryl!! That there looks like durn fine eating! I'll definitely be doing that! 

I know it's very very good for you.

PS..what's on those crackers back there? I'm coming to your house for lunch.


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## Cheryl J (Mar 1, 2015)

Thanks, Kay!  I saw quinoa the other day for $8 for a small box at Albertsons - big box stores have it for way less, I found the same thing at Big Lots for $4.50/box.    

That's herbed goat cheese and fig jam on top of the crackers in the background.  Delicious combination!


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## Somebunny (Mar 1, 2015)

I have to agree with Cheryl here, quinoa really shines in cold salads.  I'm not sure I would care for it much served hot....willing to try though  I thought I had posted a recipe similar to Cheryl's, I will have to go look for it, it had avocado and a couple of kinds of citrus. With a citrus vinaigrette
.


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


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## Cheryl J (Mar 1, 2015)

Somebunny said:


> I have to agree with Cheryl here, quinoa really shines in cold salads. I'm not sure I would care for it much served hot....willing to try though  I thought I had posted a recipe similar to Cheryl's, I will have to go look for it, it had avocado and a couple of kinds of citrus. With a citrus vinaigrette


 
Sounds wonderful Bunny...please share when you find it!


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## taxlady (Mar 6, 2015)

Sounds like it would be good in tabbouleh as a substitute for the bulgur.


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## Cheryl J (Mar 6, 2015)

It is, taxy.  I've subbed quinoa in a tabouleh dish before - like most grains  (even though it's really a seed) it takes on whatever flavors it's mixed with.


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## Somebunny (Mar 7, 2015)

Cheryl,I found the recipe and got it posted under salads.  I was searching for it and found another thread where we were talking about Quinoa and I was bemoaning the fact that the site would not accept my recipe from my phone and I would have go to the computer.....I guess I never did! I have now though.  yum!


Sent from my iPhone using Discuss Cooking


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## Cheryl J (Mar 7, 2015)

Thanks Bunny, I'll go look at it!


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