Tomato Basil Quinoa
Quinoa is a "seed grain" that is rich in B vitamins and fiber. I make this dish in a rice cooker, but the grain can also be cooked in a pot on the stove top. The nice thing about a rice cooker when you are a busy mom is that you can forget about having to time your cooking and if you get busy with the baby, the cooker shuts itself off and keeps the grain warm. It's a really great piece of kitchen equipment for making whole grain cereals in the morning!
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1 ½ cups Quinoa
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3 ½ cups water
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½ cup chopped celery
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½ cup chopped pecans
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¼ cup finely chopped scallions
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½ cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes*
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½ cup finely chopped fresh basil
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2 tablespoons sesame oil
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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Juice of ½ of a lemon
Chop by hand or in the Cuisinart the celery, pecans, scallion, sun-dried tomatoes and basil. Place in large mixing bowl. Cook the Quinoa in water (rice cooker will time this until done). If you need to cook the Quinoa on a stove top, bring Quinoa to a boil, then turn on lowest heat and simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until all of the water is absorbed and the grain looks fluffy.
Add cooked Quinoa to the bowl of chopped veggies. Add the sesame and olive oil and mix well. Add lemon juice. This may be served warm, or cold like a salad.
*You can buy these in oil, ready to use, or you can buy them dried and prepare them according to directions before adding them to the recipe
A portion of Sound Formulas proceeds are donated to Remote Area Medical, USA, a non-profit organization which provides free health care to under-served and disadvantaged populations in America.
