Quinoa - Basics

Which is better, regular quinoa or red quinoa? Well, red does have about twice the antioxidant power, leading the investigators to conclude that red quinoa might significantly contribute to the management and/or prevention of degenerative diseases associated with free radical damage––though it’s never been put to the test. What about black quinoa? Both red and black quinoa appear equally antioxidant-rich, both beating out the more conventional white.  - Nutritionfacts.org

White quinoa is the least bitter of the three, while red and black have a chewier texture that holds up better in cold dishes like salads.

Make extra to freeze!

RINSE QUINOA:
Quinoa can be bitter if you do not properly rinse it before you cook it. Rinsing gets rid of the quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which is what makes it taste bitter.  Place 1/2 cup quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it a few times under cool water.  Quinoa should NOT be soaked.


CHOOSE A LIQUID:
Cooking quinoa in water is just fine, but there are other options as well. Milk is good if making breakfast quinoa.  If I’m making it as a savory side dish, cook in a broth for a bit of extra flavor.


COOKING IN INSTANT POT:
Remember the Number ONE - 1 cup water, 1 cup quinoa, 1 minute in IP

The water to quinoa ratio is less in the Instant Pot - 1 cup of water for every cup of quinoa.

The reason for the reduced water is that the Instant Pot is more “sealed” than a traditional cooking pot, meaning less evaporation of water during the cooking process.

Toast the quinoa.   Optional but so good.   Use the Sauté function and add the quinoa. Stir it around for about 5 minutes, until it starts to smell, well, toasted. It really does make a difference on the final texture. You can skip it if you want, but don’t.

Cook - 1 MINUTE ON HIGH PRESSURE, SLOW RELEASE.


COOKING STOVETOP:
I use 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cups of liquid, which will make about 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa. If you want you can double that to make a larger batch. Bring the cooking liquid to a boil, then stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for exactly 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from heat and let stand covered for another 5-10 minutes.


FLUFF AND SERVE:
Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Quinoa will pop upon cooking and expand. To help separate the grains, use a fork and fluff the quinoa.

Use it right away or portion it out into freezer bags and freeze until you need quinoa.

Add in fruit, nuts, milk, spices, or whatever your heart desires.

Inspiration Sources:  Ambitious Kitchen, Platings and Pairings, Pass the Plants

Salad - Quinoa with Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onions

Inspired by: Recipe from Julia's Album

• broth
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, cooked 
• 1 onion, sliced 
• 1/2 butternut squash, medium size 
• salt 
• 1/4 cup French Vinaigrette salad dressing, add generous amounts of dressing to individual portions 
• sprinkle of nutritional yeast - optional
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted 

COOK QUINOA

1. Place quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and rinse it a few times under cool water.  Quinoa can be bitter if you do not properly rinse it before you cook it. Rinsing gets rid of the quinoa’s natural coating, called saponin, which is what makes it taste bitter.  Quinoa should NOT be soaked.
2. Add uncooked quinoa, 1/8 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of water to a large sauce pan. Bring to boil. 
3. Reduce to medium simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes. 
4. Remove from heat, stir the quinoa with the spoon. Cover the pan with lid, and let the quinoa rest in the pan for about 10 minutes. 
5. Yield: 1/2 cup of uncooked quinoa yields 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa. 

More info on cooking quinoa can be found HERE.



ROAST BUTTERNUT SQUASH

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.  Line the baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Peel the squash and slice it into 3/4 inch cubes. You will only need 1/2 of the medium size squash. Toss the squash cubes in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons broth and generously sprinkle with salt. 
3. Put butternut squash on the greased baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, until soft. Flip the squash cubes over midway through baking. Let it cool slightly before adding to the salad. 

CARAMELIZE ONIONS

1. Thinly slice 3 large onions. 
2. Heat a large skillet on high heat. When pan is heated, add sliced onions and cook on high for about 10 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking onions for 10 more minutes, continuing to stir, as onions brown even more without burning. At this point add just a pinch of salt over onions. 
4. Continue cooking the onions for 10 more minutes on medium or low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure onions don’t stick to the bottom of the pan or burn. Add a little bit of water or broth if they start to stick. 
5. Total, by now you should have cooked onions for 30 minutes. 
6. Remove the pan with caramelized onions from heat and sprinkle the onions with a small amount of balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan. 
7. Using spatula, stir the caramelized onions, scraping the bottom of the pan and coating onions with a pinch of balsamic vinegar you just added. 

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER: 

1. In a large bowl, combine cooked quinoa, roasted butternut squash, caramelized onions, and mix with the dressing. Add the dressing only before the serving, and add as much as you want to individual portions, as both quinoa and butternut squash tend to be on a dry side, and this dressing (when generously applied) fixes this beautifully! 
2. Top each individual serving of quinoa salad with nutritional yeast and toasted pine nuts.

Note: The quinoa salad keeps very well refrigerated for up to a week, but only without dressing. Add the dressing only before serving.