quinoa

I love trying new foods!
I haven't always been so open to new foods, but in the past few years I have become much more adventurous in trying new foods.

My newest favorite is quinoa (pronounced keen-wah).
Quinoa is a seed similar to a grain and is a complete protein source.
It is high in fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, & iron.
Basically, it's good for you!
And, I think it tastes great.

Here's the 1st recipe we tried using quinoa:

Quinoa Stir-Fry

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed

1/2 teaspoons salt, divided

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 small carrot, thinly sliced

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2 tsp. grated ginger

1 clove garlic, sliced

1 small red chile, chopped

2 cups of snow peas

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 egg, beaten

4 ounces of grilled chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro

1 tbsp. soy sauce

Place quinoa in saucepan with 3/4 cup of water and 1/4 tsp. of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover & cook, without stirring, until quinoa absorbs all of the water (10-15 mins.). Remove from heat, fluff with a fork & leave uncovered. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook carrot until it softens after about 2 mins. Add the bell pepper, ginger, garlic, and chile. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Add peas and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove vegetables from skillet. Return skillet to heat and add quinoa and egg. Cook and stir frequently until the egg is evenly distributed. Add the vegetables, chicken, scallions, cilantro, and soy sauce to the skillet and cook for 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

P.S. You can find quinoa at health food stores, Trader Joes, & the organic/health food section at many grocery stores.