Quinoa Pilaf

Rita~'s Note:

Quinoa, the principal grain of the Incas, is high in protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. Rinsing the quinoa very well before cooking effectively eliminates its slightly bitter "green" taste. I found this recipe at WholehealthMd.com This would be great stuffed into pork chops.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• ¾ cup quinoa
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 scallions , thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic , minced
• 2 ½ cups boiling water
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1⁄3; cup dried cherries (1-1/2 ounces)
• ¼ cup chopped pecans or ¼ cup walnuts (1 ounce)

Directions:

1. Place quinoa in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
2. Drain well.
3. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.
4. Add scallions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until scallions are tender.
5. Stir in quinoa and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly toasted.
6. Add boiling water, salt, and pepper.
7. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until quinoa is tender.
8. Stir in cherries and pecans.

Reviews

[Daphne2002]

This is the recipe I've been looking for! I like my grains a little drier so in the future I'll try using less water, but otherwise it was great. The cherries plump up and add such a nice suprise to the pilaf. Thank you Rita!

[N0_0ne]

I too agree this lacked flavour, maybe adding some herbs would give it a boost, I used vegetable broth instead of water which I would say helped but still wasnt enough. Has potential though.

[Nikoma]

This was good but seems to need something more, just a bit bland for me.