Saturday, September 10, 2011

Quinoa with a Latin Twist

Since I have been working from home, I have been trying to learn how to cook. This recipe is interesting and yummy.

Servings: 6 servings, 2/3 cup each
Prep: 30 mins
Total: 45 mins

Ingredients
1 cup  quinoa
2 teaspoons  canola oil
1   medium onion, chopped
1 4-ounce can  chopped green chiles (I left this out)
2 cloves  garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can  reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
1/4 cup  pepitas, toasted (see note below)
3/4 cup  coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup  chopped scallions
2 tablespoons  lime juice
1/4 teaspoon  salt (I left this out, since I used a side dish)

Directions
1. Toast quinoa in a large dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add chiles and garlic; cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the quinoa and broth; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Add pepitas, cilantro, scallions, lime juice and salt to the quinoa; mix gently and fluff with a fork.

Note: To toast nuts & seeds on the stovetop: Toast in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 181, Total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 196 mg, Carbohydrate 27 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 7 g, Potassium 379 mg. Daily Values: Vitamin C 25%, Iron 20%. Exchanges: Starch 1.5,Fat 1.
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Taken from Fitnessmagazing.com