Keen on Keen-wa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is a massive staple in my diet. To the point where if I'm cooking something on the stove my housemate will say: What are you cooking? Quinoa? I eat it as porridge, in salads, casseroles, soup, puddings, baked goods - it's very versatile.

So I couldn't believe it when I realised I haven't ever done a post/recipe about it! Until now...

Quinoa looks and cooks like a grain but it's actually a seed. It contains the 9 essential amino acids making it a complete protein. Plus it tastes good on it's own but also holds whatever flavour you add to it. 

This is one of my current favourite concoctions. 

Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Veg

Ingredients:

• half a cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup water
• 1 small sweet potato
• 1 red pepper
• 1 red onion
• a couple of handfuls of spinach
• coconut oil
• Tbsp pine nuts
• sea salt

   

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 180C
• Chop sweet potato, onion and pepper. Spread onto a baking tray and drizzle with coconut oil and sea salt. Place in the oven for 40-45 minutes. 
• Rinse quinoa in a sieve and place in a saucepan with the cup of water. Bring to the boil and then simmer with the lid on for 12-15 minutes until the little grains become clear. 
• Once the quinoa is cooked turn the heat off and leave to sit for 10 minutes with the lid on. After it has sat for 10 minutes fluff the quinoa with a fork. 
• Add the roasted vegetables to the pan of quinoa and mix around. 
• Serve the quinoa mixture on a bed of spinach and top with pine nuts.