In keeping with my goals for 2014, I made this salad for dinner. I want to explore more grains, seeds and nuts in my diet this year. The salad has spinach, roasted tomatoes, roasted beets, toasted walnuts, blue cheese, green onions, quinoa and a olive oil/raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. I was going to use Kale for the green but the only kale I found looked past its prime and the spinach looked like it came out of the ground this morning. I would have perferred a feta cheese but I have some blue cheese that needs to be used up.
Now about the Quinoa...this is the first time I have cooked it or eaten it and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I know it is suppose to be the super food of 2013 and I don't doubt that it is nutritional. Every cooking magazine seems to have a recipe or a whole article about quinoa. I think it is kind of like bulgar wheat or couscous or pasta. It is a mop for the other flavors you put with it.
You may be surprised that I found quinoa in San Miguel. Bonanza had it. Boxes of red or black of quinoa for $189 pesos and a couple of varieties of flavored packets for about $65 pesos. I forgot to look but I think the boxes held 12 or 16 ounces.
If you have cooked quinoa, tell me what you think of it and how you use it. What is your favorite recipe with quinoa? And someone, please tell me what you have to pay for quinoa in Central Market or Whole Foods in the USA.
Queso Fresco instead of feta ;)
ReplyDeleteJack
Jack, good idea since I'm in Mexico. I was just reading the email you sent me about Mexican cheeses. I kind of knew that about the cheeses but it is nice to have it organized in one place.
DeleteMy sister eats it as a salad I know. I will have to ask her how else she cooks it.
ReplyDeleteI use raw beets all the time in my salads; but never think to put roasted beets in them; but then we usually don't have any roasted veggies left over either so that may be why I never thought of it lol.
I have a bulgar wheat salad that I love and I think I could substitute the cooked quinoa without any problem. Probably add to soups. And if I had some cooked, I'd add it to any green salad. But I'd like to know how your sister uses it. I put raw beets in my salads too but I also like roasted beets and sometimes eat them as a snack.
ReplyDeleteI will ask her and let you know what she says.
DeleteOk, here is what my sister says she does.
DeleteQuote, "only in the salad
i just cooked it and cooled it and then put in cut up veggies like onion, cucumber, tomato, red pepper and i also added herb feta cheese made it tasty as well. It absorbs quite a bit of the salad dressing so you need a bit of it.
I use my salad dressing that i make :
1 cup grapeseed oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 or 2 tablespoons of honey - sweetness your preference
dill weed
bit of salt & pepper
1 large clove of garlic
1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
Blend in mixer
I use this dressing all the time on lettuce and in the quinoa salad is good " Unquote
Great to have the information. Her salad dressing sounds very good too.
DeleteI love quinoa. Be sure and rinse it well before you cook it (or it could give you a stomach ache). I rinse it even if it says pre-rinsed. I eat it as a side, like I would rice or potatoes (I find I like it better - easier to digest and not as heavy); in a "quinoa bowl" - basically anything I have to put with it like leftover veggies, shrimp, meat; or with fruit, nuts, and a drizzle of honey for breakfast. But when I do these "bowls" quinoa is a main ingredients and I just pile it in the bottom of my bowl and put everything on top. I don't stir it up. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI believe it's a bit over $3.00 at Trader Joes for a box. I usually buy it in bulk and I'll have to check the price of that. A box of Red Mill is ridiculously expensive so I don't ever buy that brand.
I often cook a big pot on Sunday and then have it ready all week for breakfasts, work lunches, or dinner. Oh - and there's no taste difference between red and white that I can discern.
Barbara
Ah, this is the kind of info I was looking for. I think the box of quinoa at Bonanza was Red Mill. Glad to know I might be able to purchase quinoa for less money if I can find it somewhere else in SMA. Also, I was wondering if I needed to rinse if it said pre-rinsed. I was also wondering if there was a taste difference between the colors. Now I know all these things. Thanks Barbara.
DeleteThis article talks about the saponins that are the reason for the tummy problems.
Deletehttp://samfgrant.com/2013/01/25/think-quinoa-is-good-for-you-think-again/
Interesting article. I don't usually have food allergy problems but I will make sure to rinse quinoa.
DeleteI find that it is too annoying to eat. Sticks in my teeth like nothing else.
ReplyDeleteDidn't notice that last night because the raw spinach was the annoying thing sticking to my teeth. I'll see how it is when I have it as a main ingredient in a dish.
DeleteMy mother put quinoa in her beef bone soup. Therefore, it cooked for a long time and was not as grainy.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter makes patties with cooked quinoa. She adds an egg, grated cheese, onion, and left over veggies. Spices the mix. Makes smallish patties and lightly fries both sides till brown.
I thought it would work in soup. And I like the idea of the patties. I might have to experiment with that. I wonder if you could make small balls and serve them with some sauce....like a mustard sauce. Worth a try for something different for finger food.
ReplyDeleteI don't use the little rice like Quinoa very much. This type of Quinoa is very expensive and I seem to remember around $5.00 + a box at general grocery stores. Add it to soups as you would use pasta. I do love the spaghetti and macaroni. It is about $2.89 a box. Enough for a meal for two people. Do not overcook it. It has a different consistency than semolina, but I have grown to love it. I like to make mac and cheese and also spaghetti. It is very good and is protein. I am gluten free so that is all I eat. Very healthy!
ReplyDeleteI will look for the quiona pasta. Did not know it was available.
DeleteI do not use the small Quinoa as is too expensive (around $5.00 + for a box). I love the spaghetti and macaroni (various kinds). I make mac & cheese and spaghetti. It is truly delicious but doesn't take long to cook. It has a little different consistency but I have grown to love it. I am Gluten Free so that is all I eat as far as pasta. It has a different texture than semolina. A box at the health food store is about $2.89 and is enough for two people as their main dish. A good source of protein.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link that I found that looked really yummy for Saffron Quinoa over roasted Vegetables. I seem to remember that Saffron is quite inexpensive in Mexico. Hope this link works. If this site had the ability, I would add the picture.
ReplyDeletehttp://hortuscuisine.com/2014/01/05/saffron-quinoa-over-roasted-veggies/
Jennilynn, thanks for the recipe. I now think I have more quinoa recipes than I do recipes for Rice or potatoes.
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ReplyDeleteYour welcome Billie. Someone told me that Saffron was very inexpensive in Mexico. I was wondering if you can bring herbs, etc. back across the border. I bet not. I would love to be able to do that.
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