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Saturday, October 3, 2009

The perfect Quinoa salad...

For anyone who has not enjoyed the nutty taste of Quinoa this recipe is easy and very filling. Quinoa is a species of goosefoot and it is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is high in fiber and protein and it is gluten free. This recipe makes a lot so be prepared to have left overs. Don't worry it tastes even better the next day and is a great take to work meal.
The recipe calls for two different types of Quinoa, I like the contrast of textures.The black or red variety are more chewy and the white one is more like rice. But if you don't have both by all means use the one you have on hand..


  • 1/2 cup of black or red Quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cups of white Quinoa
  • 2 to 3 good handful of fresh green beans( frozen can be used)
  • 1/2 of a red bell pepper diced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic minced
  • 3tbs of minced fresh chives
  • 4tbs of minced fresh cilantro
  • 4tbs of torn fresh basil leafs
  • a pinch of dried chili flakes
  • 1/2 cup of good extra virgin olive oil
  • 1tbs of rice vinegar
  • 1 to 2 tbs of Sriracha Hot Chili sauce (optional)
  • salt to taste

To cook Quinoa : For the 2 cups total of Quinoa you will need 4 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and add the quinoa, pinch of salt and stir. Cover with led and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes or until it is tender and there is no water left. Once cooked turn off the heat and allow to sit with led on.

For the green beans you can either stream them or blanch them. I blanch my beans for 5 minutes and then place them in a bowl of ice water (bowl w/ ice and water). This will help stop the cooking process and keep their beautiful color. I thank it is best to cook them whole then cut them into medium pieces. If using frozen just follow the package instructions.

In a large bowl place the cropped red bell pepper, chives, cilantro, basil,minced garlic, chili flakes,olive oil, vinegar, Sriracha Hot Chili sauce (optional) and salt. Place all the cooked Quinoa into the bowl and mix well.

That's it now enjoy!

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