I heart quinoa. Have you tried quinoa yet? If you haven’t let this recipe be an inspiration to you, since I think you’ll really like it if you try it. Quinoa is an ancient grain, the only other plant source, besides soy, of complete proteins. It is nutty, delicious and super duper healthful.
I’ve been using quinoa for a couple years now and I really can’t get enough of it. For this recipe, I toast the quinoa in a pan, along with some almonds, before I cook it. Doing so enhances its natural nuttiness, making it a deliciously simple side dish.
Toasted Quinoa with Almonds
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¾ cup quinoa, rinsed well and drained
¼ cup slivered unsalted almonds
½ teaspoon salt (if using salted almonds, omit salt)
dash of pepper
dash of paprika
1 ½ cups water
In a medium sauce pan, over medium heat, add the oil. Add the quinoa and almonds and stir, to fully coat both the quinoa and the almonds with oil.
Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the quinoa and almonds brown slightly.
Add the salt, pepper, paprika and water. Stir and increase heat to high.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover.
Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and keep the lid off the pan. Fluff with a fork.
Serves 4
It tastes great with the Pork Loin with Apples and Sage recipe I shared last week!
Life is sweet,
SPC