quinoa

Cilantro Quinoa with Sumac Vinaigrette!

Jennifer 2 Comments

cilantro quinoa

Sumac is a reddish-purple spice that is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking to add a tangy lemony flavor. The sumac bush produces deep red berries, which are dried and ground into this coarse powder. It was used to treat different ailments in medieval medicine. A tiny sprinkle adds tremendous flavor and pairs really well with cilantro in this quinoa salad. Sumac would also be great in hummus or sprinkled over grilled veggies before serving. Hope you’ll try this unique spice!

1 cup quinoa, cooked and cooled to room temperature
1 bunch cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped

Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/8 teaspoon sumac
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
few grinds fresh black pepper
2 tablespoons avocado oil or EVOO

1. In a large bowl, whisk together vinaigrette ingredients.
2. Add quinoa to vinaigrette and mix thoroughly, making sure to coat all of quinoa.
3. Add cilantro and mix again. Enjoy!

Quinoa with Carrot-Top Pesto!

Jennifer Leave a comment

pesto quinoa

In the interest of using whole vegetables, I’ve been exploring using the greens of different veggies, including carrots, radishes, and beets. Rather than wasting these nutrition-packed leaves, you could simply saute them with olive oil and garlic for a nice side dish. Carrot tops are a great source of vitamin C, potassium, and calcium. Today, I opted to make pesto with them and some beautiful basil from the coop. Pesto is incredibly versatile and can be added to just about anything  for a flavor boost like quinoa, pasta, rice, potatoes, eggs, pizza.

Ingredients:
1 bunch carrot tops, de-stemmed
1 ounce basil (clamshell), de-stemmed
1 clove black garlic or regular garlic
2 tablespoons pine nuts
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt

2 cups cooked quinoa

Procedure:
1. Combine carrot tops, basil, salt, garlic, pine nuts, and oil in food processor or blender.
2. Process and stop to scrape down the sides of the container.
3. Add more oil for a thinner consistency.
4. Mix 2 tablespoons of pesto into the cooked quinoa.