Melissa's Cuisine: Quinoa Pilaf

Monday, February 13, 2012

Quinoa Pilaf

 
Have you jumped on board the quinoa train yet?  I finally have (better late than never!), and if you haven't, I really encourage you to give it a shot!  Quinoa is gaining popularity as a superfood because of it's amazing nutritional value.  Quinoa is a seed, but is often thought of as a grain.  It is relatively low in calories, high in protein, fiber and many vitamins.  {Source}

The first time I had quinoa was in this quinoa pilaf.  I immediately loved it and since then I've used it as a substitute for rice or pasta.  I've served it topped with apricot chicken and as a topping to a lettuce salad.  There are so many options for quinoa and I have so many more ideas for ways to incorporate it into our meals!

Oh, and on an exciting note...remember a while ago I told you that I'd do a giveaway when I reached 200 GFC followers?  Well, I hit 200 yesterday so it's time to celebrate. I want to thank all of you for reading my blog and for all your comments.  I'll be posting the giveaway later this week, so stay tuned!!!
 
Quinoa Pilaf

Serves 6

You will need:

1 Tablespoon butter
1 large shallot, peeled and chopped
8 baby carrots, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 cup quinoa
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/8 teaspoon salt

1.  Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add shallot, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes.

2.  Add quinoa to a saucepan and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

3.  Stir in broth, water, thyme, and salt.

4.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. 

Nutritional facts per serving: 140 calories, 4g fat, 4g protein, 23g carbohydrates, 2g fiber, 396mg sodium, 5mg cholesterol

Source:  Family Circle, September 2011


7 comments:

  1. this looks great!
    Blessings
    http://bit.ly/i5pPMF

    ReplyDelete
  2. I LOVE quinoa1 This recipe sounds great. Thanks so much for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love it when I find cooking blogs.I am now following you on Linky Follower. I would love it if you followed me back. I always enjoy meeting new Bloggers.

    ReplyDelete
  4. So glad I found your lovely blog. I'm following you with the new Linky tool, straight from the Linky blog hop. I look forward to getting to know you better, Lori

    ReplyDelete
  5. That looks so good. I cannot wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing it. Come visit us. We have a terrific couscous recipe to share.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I just bought quinoa last night for the first time, so thanks for the recipe idea!

    ReplyDelete
  7. looks really amazing! Will have to put this in the file to try! thanks for linking up to Tasty Tuesday.. I'll be featuring you this coming party! http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for reading my blog! I always look forward to reading your thoughts on my recipes!

01 10 11 12
Blogging tips