Quinoa (pronounced
keen-wah) is often referred to as an ancient grain, up there with the likes of
amaranth, Kamut and millet. Once you know how to say it, you’ll remember
forever. This rice substitute is also gluten-free and can be used for recipes
ranging from savory to sweet.
I can find the
larger bags of quinoa at Costco and they’re usually on sale for $10 or less. On
the back of it’s friendly green packaging, the organic truRoots brand lets you
know that quinoa has a low glycemic index and provides all eight amino acids,
making it a complete protein.
I have a double
feature to share with you tonight, with the quinoa cooked in one large batch
and split it up to make two separate recipes. This will feed two people for
breakfast and dinner in minimal time and easy-to-prepare steps. The breakfast
quinoa can be enjoyed bright and early in the morning, or even for dinner. Half
of the quinoa can be set aside and used to throw together stuffed peppers for
dinner in less than an hour, including cook time. If you make the recipes, it’s
enough for two days worth of breakfast and dinner for one person, like me.
To cook one
larger batch, rinse 1 cup of quinoa under cold water and combine with two cups
of water in a large pot. Stir everything together and let it come to a boil.
Stir again and reduce to low heat and cook, covered for about 15 minutes. Check
the quinoa occasionally to see how much water has been absorbed. When all the
water is absorbed, the quinoa is ready. Set it aside, still covered, for
another five minutes and then fluff with a fork.
I’ve provided the
quantities and cooking directions for each of the recipes to be made on their
own for simplicity. It really is easier to make one larger batch of quinoa
though if you want to try making both meals. Both of these dishes are
nutritious, packed with protein and vitamins, low-fat, gluten-free and affordable.
Give your
traditional old school bowl of oatmeal a makeover with a big bowl of Warm
Winter Breakfast Quinoa. The bright green Granny Smith apples and sweet maple syrup add a little bit of sunshine to your windy, blustery, chilly winter day.
Warm Winter
Breakfast Quinoa
(Serves 2) (vegan, gluten-free)
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup
uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp. sea
salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/3 cup dried
cranberries
• 1 tbsp. chia
seeds
• 1/4 cup almonds
• maple syrup
• 1 large Granny
Smith apple, sliced into small pieces
**optional**
• fruit and nut
granola
• almond milk,
warmed
Preparation:
- Rinse uncooked
quinoa in cold water. This gets rid of any bitterness.
- Place the water
and the quinoa in a pan, stir together and bring to a boil. Stir again reduce
heat to low. Cooked covered for another 15 minutes, checking a few times to
make sure all the water is absorbed. Cook for an additional minute or two if
there is still some water in the pan that hasn’t been absorbed.
- Let the quinoa
sit covered for five minutes, then stir and fluff with a fork.
- Mix in salt, the tablespoon of chia seeds, nutmeg and cinnamon. Next mix in the dried cranberries.
- Divide the
quinoa equally between two bowls. Divide the apple slices and almonds up
equally and top the quinoa. Sprinkle with more cinnamon and nutmeg if you wish and drizzle with maple syrup.
- Optional: Top
with fruit and nut granola and pour about 1/2 cup of warmed almond milk in each
bowl. Drizzle maple syrup over everything, stir together and enjoy the warm,
filling goodness of your breakfast quinoa.
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Try pouring in some warm almond milk and topping with a handful of fruit and nut granola.
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I grew up with
stuffed peppers being a regular meal, especially when I’d spend the summer days
at my grandparents’ house. My Bubba (that’s what I call my grandma) would have
green peppers fresh from the garden and cook huge, and I mean HUGE, batches of
stuffed peppers filled with ground meat, tomato sauce and rice. My grandparents
have nine children and a whole string of grandchildren, so she doesn’t really
cook for small crowds.
I haven’t eaten
meat for almost 10 years and I didn’t have any rice in my pantry, so I’ve put a
slightly Asian spin on my stuffed pepper recipe by using teriyaki sauce and an
assortment of vegetables and Gardein chick’n.
I look at what I
have on hand first before I throw dinner together and that’s another way to
save money. Think about how long that half-used jar of sauce has been sitting
in the fridge waiting to be used in something, or that half-full bag of frozen
peas and carrots in the freezer. It really doesn’t get much simpler, or much
better than peas and carrots either. Teriyaki sauce can be on the saltier side,
so make sure you don’t add too much salt to the quinoa filling.
The peppers
freeze very easily and can be kept in the freezer for quick, healthy meals to
have on-hand when you’re in a hurry. You can double or even triple the recipe
to feed an entire family! (I love being a vegan!)
And, going back
to my Bubba really quickly – She has taught me a lot of what I know about
baking and cooking and has even made some of her delicious recipes
vegan-friendly with me, like her granola and a cabbage dish that she makes. She
has also stressed the importance of eating everything on your plate, not
letting anything go to waste, using what you have, being frugal and really
accessing needs vs. wants. I thank her for all of that! My grandpap also bakes
the best home made bread and pretzels I’ve ever tasted.
Quinoa and Vegetable Teriyaki Stuffed Peppers
(Serves 2) (vegan, gluten-free)
Ingredients:
• 3 large green
peppers, cut 2 of the peppers in half and remove seeds and stems. Set the other
pepper aside to be diced and used in the quinoa mixture.
I used green
peppers because that’s what I had in my fridge. Red, yellow and orange peppers work
too.
• 1 cup quinoa,
cooked
• salt and
pepper, to taste
• Soy Vay Veri
Veri Teriyaki sauce and marinade (about 1/2 cup)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 3/4 cup fresh
or frozen carrots
• 4 or 5 Gardein
chick’n tenders, or meat substitute of your choice, cut into smaller pieces
once cooked
(Extra firm tofu,
cut up into small cubes would also work well.)
Preparation:
- Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees and spray a small casserole dish with non-stick cooking
spray.
- Cut two of the
peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds. Remove the stem and seeds from
the third pepper and dice it into small chunks.
- Place the green
pepper halves in the casserole dish and place them in the oven while you
prepare the quinoa filling. This will get the peppers cooking.
- Use half of the
quinoa you already set aside from the larger batch, or cook the quinoa using
the directions above.
- Prepare the
frozen peas and carrots using the package directions. Fresh or frozen carrots
can be added to boiling water and steamed for about 5 to 7 minutes if you’re
like me and didn’t use the pre-packaged kind.
- Cook the
Gardein chick’n tenders using the package directions. Cut them into smaller
pieces.
- Mix the cooked
quinoa, vegetables, salt and pepper and chickn’ tenders together in a large
bowl. Add the teriyaki sauce and mix again until everything is well combined.
- Remove the
peppers from the oven and stuff each green pepper halve with the quinoa
filling, pressing the filling down into the pepper to stuff it with as much
filling as possible.
- Once all the
peppers are stuffed, place the casserole dish back in the oven on the middle
rack and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes.
- Take the quinoa
stuffed peppers out of the oven and enjoy!
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| Revamp traditional stuffed peppers with quinoa, veggies and teriyaki sauce! |
I had my stuffed
peppers with a side of multigrain tortilla chips and hummus to make for a
completely gluten-free and vegan-friendly dinner!
