Many are averse to even the idea of quinoa. This most often happens because of some misconceptions that are commonly associated with quinoa.
Quinoa is a great food, because of its high nutritional benefits. Quinoa is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It is also a great source of proteins and fibre. It is also rich in a wide range of vitamins and minerals and is also known to help improve one’s metabolism.
Because of so many health benefits, it has earned the laurel of being a ‘superfood’. But again, being associated with good health, weight loss and other healthy goals, one often misinterprets it to be a boring food with little or no taste or a food that can never be edible.
One of the biggest advantages of quinoa is that it has a neutral flavour profile and does not have a very strong flavour of its own. This makes this food a very easy ingredient to add to any and every kind of dish, and it will easily take on the flavour of that food and become delicious without any problem. Quinoa is also quick to cook and is perfect for a quick and healthy recipe. Here are a few unique twists and turns that turn the humble quinoa into an outstanding dish.
Quinoa Vegetable Upma
This is a hearty and healthy recipe that is a healthier take on the conventional upma made of semolina. It is a vegan dish that is filling the stomach and satisfying to the soul.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- ½ cup chopped mixed vegetables of choice (eg. Carrots, beans, peas, cabbage etc)
- 1.5 tsp oil
- ½ tsp grated ginger
- 1 whole green chilli finely chopped.
- 1 dry red chilli
- 1 pinch hing
- 8-10 curry leaves
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp urad dal
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander
Method
- Wash the quinoa well in running tap water and using a strainer, remove all the excess water from it.
- Now take a kadhai and heat it on low flame, add the oil and temper it with urad dal, once it turns light golden or pinkish, add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds begin to crackle, quickly add the curry leaves, dry red chilli, green chilli and grated ginger and hing. Now add the onions and stir until it is cooked, add mixed vegetables and add salt. Stir well and cover with a lid until the vegetables are well cooked.
- Once the vegetables have cooked, simply add the quinoa and mix well. For ½ cup of quinoa, add 1 cup full of water cover and reduce the flame to low. Allow the quinoa to absorb all the water and flavour and cook well.
- Remove the lid, and check the quinoa has swollen and become soft, which means it is ready to be eaten. Simply add freshly chopped coriander and serve hot as a breakfast or any other meal of the day.
Quinoa-Stuffed Zucchini Boats
Why should healthy food always look dull? Add an attractive twist to your healthy zucchini and quinoa and make it look like a gourmet-style meal with the bare minimum effort.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 zucchinis (preferably shaped equally)
- 3 tsp oil
- 1 cup full boiled chickpeas
- ½ dried raisins or cranberries
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup roasted seeds of choice (sunflower, pumpkin etc.)
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 tsp sliced olives
- 1 tsp mixed herb seasonings
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup crumbled feta (or crumbled paneer)
Method
- Wash and clean the zucchinis slice them vertically, now scrape the inner flesh out to get a boat-like appearance.
- Wash and strain the quinoa and keep it aside. Boil 1 cup of water and add the quinoa to it. Turn off the flame of the water cover with a lid, and allow the quinoa to cook and become soft and fluffy. In the meantime, get the other ingredients of the stuffing ready. Take a large mixing bowl, to this mixture, add the chickpeas, chopped onions, olives, seasoning, lemon zest, lemon juice, raisins, and mixed seeds and mix well.
- Check the quinoa and once it is ready, add the same to the stuffing ingredients and mix well. Adjust the salt and seasoning according to your preferences.
- Now take each vertical half of the zucchini and add a generous amount of the stuffing to the hollowed part. Repeat the same for all zucchini boats. Top it with crumbled feta cheese and serve!
Crunchy Summer Salad with Quinoa
Summers always need some cool and light recipes to keep your body and mind cool in the heat. Of course, this refreshing salad can be made any time of the year, whenever you have these delicious ingredients ready.
Total Time: 20 mins
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- ½ cup finely chopped onions
- ¼ cup finely chopped mixed bell peppers
- ¼ cup boiled sweet corn
- ¼ cup chopped canned pineapples
- 2 tsp black olives sliced
- 1 cup chopped lettuce
- ¼ cup crumbled feta
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup mixed nuts
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup nacho chips
Method
- Wash and drain the quinoa, now boil 2 cups of water and add quinoa remove from flame and cover until fully cooked. Keep this aside.
- Now take a large mixing bowl, and add the lettuce, onions, bell peppers, olives, and mixed nuts along with sweet corn and pineapple pieces. Give it a quick stir.
- Prepare a quick dressing using, lemon zest, lemon juice, paprika, honey, olive oil salt and pepper. Shake it vigorously to get a uniform emulsification. Keep it aside. Now add the cooked quinoa to the salad mix, and top it with the salad dressing and toss it well.
- Serve it with fresh and crunchy nacho chips.
Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Pancakes
Why not give your conventional pancakes a healthier and tastier twist? Try this unique recipe and watch your loved ones drool over this. Made with mouth-watering ingredients, you are sure to get hooked on this one.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiled quinoa, ready to use
- ¾ cup maida
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 3 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla essence
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup milk
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 apple shredded
- 2 tsp butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
Method
- Take a mixing bowl and sieve in all the cry ingredients like maida, baking powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Now in another mixing bowl use a whisk and whisk all the wet ingredients including eggs, milk, oil, vanilla essence and shredded apple.
- Now mix all the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and add the boiled and softened quinoa as well. Mix the ingredients well to get a smooth mixture.
- Now take a non-stick pan and heat it on low flame, gently pour a ladle-full of the pancake batter on the pan. Once the facing side looks cooked, gently flip it to cook on both sides.
- Stack up a few pancakes lather them with maple syrup and enjoy hot!
Quinoa Breakfast Berry Parfait
Who said breakfast needs to be a quick and boring affair? With just some planning, you can relish a healthy breakfast that is quick to prepare and tastes divine! Rich in proteins and antioxidants with a refreshing fruity taste and the goodness of quinoa, this is a perfect breakfast or even a hearty snack!
Total Time: 20 mins
Serves: 1 serving
Ingredients
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups Greek yoghurt
- ½ cup mixed berries or fruits of choice
- ½ cup sunflower seeds
- 4 tsp honey (or maple syrup)
Method
- Cook the quinoa by adding 1 cup boiling water covering it with a lid and setting it aside for some time.
- Now take a parfait jar, and line it first with half the quantity of Greek yoghurt. Now add the quinoa. Top this with honey or maple syrup. Add seeds for crunch and top with fruits of your choice. Top it once again with Greek Yoghurt, honey and nuts. Refrigerate for some time and enjoy chilled.