Quinoa: Not your average grain

Quinoa: once you can pronounce it  (KEEN-WAH)  you will want to figure out how to make tons of side dishes with it! This is my first attempt at making it and cooking it in the chicken broth really adds a lot of flavor compared to water. I will be trying it with veggie broth next time, since I am going veggie for March.

Level 1: An easy side dish

Servings: about 5 side servings of 1/2 cup each

Ingredients:

onion; chopped ( I used about a quarter of a med large onion and I thought it was a bit much)

3 gloves garlic, minced

2 cups low sodium chicken stock (I like Imagine brand)

1/8 cup lemon juice ( fresh or concentrated)

butter for pan

EVOO for saute

1 cup quinoa (If your brand isn't prerinsed, be sure to)

parsley, to taste

basil, to taste

thyme, to taste ( less is more here)

pepper, to taste

1. Prepare broth according to package

2. Melt butter over medium hihgh heat

2. Add quinoa and toast. Stir occasionally until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, boil, reduce to simmer. Cover and cook 13-15 min until tender and outer ring on quinoa is visible. 

3. In last 5 minutes of quinoa simmering, saute onion for 1 minute in EVOO. Add garlic, thyme, parsley, basil, and pepper. Saute for 3 minutes, not allowing the garlic to brown by stirring fairly constantly. 

4. Mix quinoa with the onion/garlic mix. Dress with the lemon juice and serve!