Quinoa: Delicious, Good-for-You Recipes

Once available only in select natural food stores, quinoa -- a high-protein grain found in South America, and an original staple in the Incan diet -- has been taking the U.S. by storm. It’s showing up on cooking shows and in food magazines as a healthy alternative to pasta and a healthy way to up your protein intake.

The ancient Incans fed quinoa to their warriors to help sustain them in battle. Nowadays, quinoa is used in the battle of the bulge, because it’s protein rich (with nine amino acids), high in fiber, and mineral rich with lots of iron and magnesium. Try these tres healthy and yummy recipes to get the most of this sabroso superfood!

DESAYUNO: CINNAMON-RAISIN QUINOA

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole or low-fat milk
  
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  
• 3 tablespoons light-brown sugar, plus more for serving
  
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
• 1 cup raisins

Directions: Start by bringing milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until three-quarters of the milk has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Cook, covered, until almost all the milk has been absorbed, about 8 minutes. Stir in raisins (you can also try dried blueberries or another dried fruit) and cook for 30 seconds. Serve with additional milk, sugar, cinnamon, and blueberries as desired.

ALMUERZO: QUINOA NIÇOISE SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 potatoes, peeled
• 1 bunch green beans
• 3 eggs, hard-boiled, chopped
• Olives, pitted
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions
Rinse quinoa, then add to a saucepan with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes once it’s done cooking. In the meantime, boil the potatoes until they’re soft. Quickly sautee the green beans until they’re al dente. Mix quinoa and potatoes, green beans and eggs together, then add olives, salt, pepper and olive oil to taste.

Senar: Quinoa with Black Beans and Avocado

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 large white onion
  
• 10 medium button mushrooms, diced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (or more to taste)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved  
• 2 small avocados, peeled and diced           
• Salt, to taste

Instructions: 
Cook quinoa per the instructions in the Niçoise Salad, above. In a saucepan, sauté onions and mushrooms in the olive oil. Add fluffed quinoa and black beans. Add lime juice and stir in sliced cherry tomatoes and avocado, and add salt to taste.