Eat More Quinoa!

Here are 3 Quinoa recipes that I've been making lately that I love and wanted to share!  In case I haven't mentioned I eat mostly vegan and vegetarian food, so you won't find a lot of meat or cheeses in my recipes.  I do have seafood from time to time, so one of these has shrimp.

Shrimp and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

1/2 lbs shrimp (sauteed & cut up)

*I saute in lemon zest and garlic

1/2 cup cooked black beans (non canned preferred)

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 orange cut in to small pieces

1/2 cup frozen sweet corn

2 green onions chopped

1/2 red pepper chopped

1/2 small onion chopped

1 lemon

2 tbs EVOO

2 garlic cloves crushed

pinch of pepper

After ingredients are cooked, cut, and ready to go mix together in bowl.  Mix lemon juice, EVOO, garlic, and pepper together well.  Pour over mixture and stir.  Eat up!

Quinoa & Zucchini

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 zucchini chopped

1 yellow pepper chopped

2 kale leaves chopped

1 celery stalk chopped

1 can mandarin oranges

1/4 cup chopped sweet onion

2 green onions

2 garlic cloves

1 lime

2 tbsp EVOO

Saute zucchini, pepper, celery, and onion in EVOO and garlic.  After about 5 minutes add kale.  Once veggies have softened, but still have some crunch, remove and add to large bowl.  Mix in cooked quinoa, green onions, and oranges.  Squeeze lime juice over mixture and stir.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Southwest Quinoa & Chips

(maybe my favorite of them all!)

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 small tomato chopped

1/2 red onion chopped

2/3 cup frozen sweet corn

1/2 red pepper chopped

1/2 green pepper chopped

1 cup black beans cooked

1 garlic clove

1 tbs EVOO

1/2 lime

1 tbs taco sauce/hot sauce

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp pepper

cilantro to garnish

Corn chips

Heat garlic and EVOO.  Add onion, peppers, and corn until peppers begin to soften.  Once beans, quinoa, and veggies are all cooked mix together in bowl.  Add taco sauce, lime juice, cumin and pepper and stir.  Eat with chips!

*tip for cooking quinoa:  Soak or rinse in cold water prior to cooking.  Use only slightly more water than quinoa i.e. 1/2 cup quinoa=3/4 cup water.  Heat on med-low heat covered and do not stir.  Watch carefully when end time nears, quinoa burns easily.