Vegetable Quinoa Fried 'Rice'

Photo by A_Lein/iStock / Getty Images

This nutrient dense quinoa recipe is delicious and a nice change from the traditional fried rice dish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1 tablespoon of rice bran or peanut oil

3 cups of cooked quinoa (1 cup dried yields 3 cups) colour of choice

6 large eggs

2 garlic cloves

1 medium-large red onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 large red capsicum, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1 cup of frozen peas

2 spring onions, finely chopped

2 tablespoons of salt-reduced soy sauce (choose a soy sauce labelled 'gluten free' if you require a gluten free diet) 

2 teaspoons of sesame oil

1/4 cup of roasted almonds, chopped

Method

Cook quinoa and let cool.

Whisk the eggs together in small bowl and set aside.

Heat (rice bran or peanut) oil in a wok over a medium to high heat.

Sautee onion, garlic and carrot for approximately 2 minutes.

Add zucchini, spring onions and capsicum and cook for approximately 2 minutes, continually stirring.

Add cooked quinoa and frozen peas and stir through vegetables.

Make a well in the middle of the quinoa and pour the egg in well. Scramble the egg.

Once the egg is cooked add the almonds, soy sauce and sesame oil and stir altogether.

Nutrition information per serve Energy 1658kJ (394cal), protein 20g, fat 21g, saturated fat 4g, carbohydrate 28g, sugars 5g, fibre 8g, sodium 469mg

Reblogged from Nov 2013

Black lentil, quinoa, apple and goats curd salad

Most of you have probably met the lovely little quinoa since its popularity soared just a couple of years ago. Now lets just clear one thing up before we move on…it is pronounced keen-wah NOT kwin-oah. This ancient little grain (well, its technically a seed) that features on many modern menus has become a staple in many households, including my own.

There are many reasons why I do love this little grain and why I invited it into our household.

The dietitian side of me loves that it is a complete protein source, is gluten free for those who require a gluten free diet and has a low Glycemic Index (GI), meaning it can stabolise blood glucose levels and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

The foodie side of me just loves its aesthetic appeal and nutty texture.

I can’t say that I love quinoa for its taste and flavour (as it really doesn’t have any) but I love that it is a blank canvas for many different flavour combinations.

Ingredients (serves 4)

1/3 of a cup of white quinoa (this will yield ~1 cup cooked)

1/3 of a cup of red quinoa (this will yield ~1 cup cooked)

½ of a cup of black lentils (this will yield ~ 1 cup cooked)

1 small pink lady apple, thinly sliced with skin on

1/4 cup of roasted almonds, chopped

1 large handful of rocket or baby spinach 

1/4 bunch of flat leaf parsley finely, chopped

¼ cup of olive oil

Juice of one small lemon

goats curd

Method

Cook lentils - bring water to a boil and add the lentils. Boil for 2-3 minutes and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender (~25-30 minutes). Lentils must not be overcooked or they will become soft and mushy.

While the lentils are cooking, rinse the white and red quinoa and cook in plenty of water. Just add the quinoa to the cold water, bring to the boil then simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes - once the germ turns opaque and splits from the seed (this will resembles little curls).

Cut the apple and make the dressing while the lentils and quinoa are cooking. To make the dressing just combine the lemon juice, olive oil and chopped parsley (it can be blended in a small food processor).

Once the lentils and quinoa are cooked, combine them with the rocket, apple, roasted almonds and the dressing.

Top the salad with a few teaspoons of goats cheese as I have done in the image.

I love this recipe because it is aesthetically beautiful and the textures and flavours are just lovely. I am sure it will impress all of your family and friends and it is so easy to create.

Bon Appetit!

Quinoa porridge with fresh figs and blueberry sauce

I created this recipe in Autumn while living in Adelaide. The blueberries were still good and the figs were at their best, making some visually beautiful and delicious breakfast combinations.

This recipe was inspired by a clients need for some new gluten free breakfast options AND the beautiful blueberries and figs that I bought at the Adelaide Central Markets...OMG have you been there?

The quinoa is the gluten free staple here, but you could always swap for some traditional rolled oats if you aren't a fan of quinoa and don't need to follow a gluten free diet. The oats will only take 2-3 minutes to cook on the stove top.

I don't think I need to ramble on about this dish, as a picture says a thousand words...ENJOY!

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

½ cup quinoa (I used white)

1 cup of water

½ cup of milk

¼ cup of roasted almonds, roughly chopped

2 large figs, sliced

For the blueberry sauce

1 cup of blueberries

3 tablespoons of water

2 teaspoons of vanilla essence

1 teaspoon of lemon zest – or to taste

Methods

Place quinoa and water in a small sauce pan bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, place the the blueberry sauce ingredients in a small pan, bring to the boil then simmer for approximately 5-6 minutes (or until the berries have popped and a sauce consistency has formed).

After 10 minutes of the quinoa cooking, add the milk and chopped almonds and cook for a further 5-10 minutes or until quinoa has cooked - add a dash of milk if mixture starts to dry out.

Divide quinoa porridge between two bowls and top with figs and the blueberry sauce.

ENJOY!