I know quinoa is good for me. Heck – it is a “superfood,” rich in protein, calcium, iron, fiber, potassium, B vitamins and minerals. I keep meaning to try quinoa. I say I am going to add it to my repertoire as a healthier replacement for rice or couscous. But I have never actually tried it.
For those of you who know me, you know that my motto is that I have to taste everything at least once. Which means, when I was asked to check out Quinoa Cuisine: 150 Creative Recipes for Super-Nutritious, Amazingly Delicious Dishes, I jumped at the chance to finally cook with and taste an ingredient I’d been meaning to try!
Lucky for newbies like me, the introduction to Quinoa Cuisine serves as Quinoa 101 – a guide to the “pseudograin’s” health benefits, the types of Quinoa, and tips for shopping for and cooking with Quinoa. Once I felt I had educated myself enough to get cooking, I looked through the chapters filled with recipes for breakfasts, soups and stews, salads, and even baked goods to decide what form my first taste of quinoa would take. I opted for two different recipes – one with white quinoa and one with black, in order to experience the very different textures of those varieties.
As it turned out, my very first bite of quinoa would be my favorite! The Stuffed Tomatoes, made with white quinoa, are a perfect example of “less is more.” With only a few ingredients, this dish is fresh, light, and full of flavor! Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser, the authors of Quinoa Cuisine, recommend serving this as a side dish to accompany grilled fish or chicken, or as a meatless meal accompanied by a green salad. And I have to tell you – the stuffing, on its own, would also be a great side dish! Since I am still obsessing about this dish, I just had to share the recipe with you – check it out at the end of this post!
I also prepared the Asian-Style Edamame and Shiitake Pilaf – what an absolutely gorgeous dish! The bright green edamame and scallions popping out from among the grains of the black quinoa are truly a sight to behold. I adored the Asian flavors in this dish, but personally, I was not as big of a fan of the black quinoa’s texture as I was of the white. I think I just don’t care for the crunchiness – but it’s true what they say about eating with your eyes as well as your palate – the look of the dish paired with the flavors of sesame oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar pretty much made up for the fact that I was being a little finicky about the texture.
There are other chapters in Quinoa Cuisine which utilize quinoa flakes, seeds and flour to make dishes like Chicken Potpie with Quinoa Biscuit Crust, Mini Pizzas, Two-Bean Quinoa Chili and Quinoa Biscuits and Gravy. I can’t wait to delve further into the recipes and hone my quinoa cooking skills!
As promised, with permission, I am sharing the recipe for Quinoa Cuisine’s Stuffed Tomatoes with you – with the warmer weather coming, I thought this would be the perfect dish for lighter summer suppers, potlucks, picnics…or pretty much any other reason you can think of!
Stuffed Tomatoes (From Quinoa Cuisine: 150 Creative Recipes for Super-Nutritious, Amazingly Delicious Dishes by Jessica Harlan and Kelley Sparwasser. Copyright © 2012. Published by Ulysses Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Serves 4
- ½ cup white quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable stock or broth
- 4 medium globe (slicing) tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ⅓ cup shredded cheddar cheese (about 1½ ounces)
- kosher salt and black pepper
1. In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the quinoa and stock or broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the stock or broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover, and leave on the burner to keep warm.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, slice the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out the cores, seeds, and pulp. Sprinkle the insides lightly with salt and place the tomatoes upside down on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a double layer of paper towels to drain out the excess liquid.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan or skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper; sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cooked quinoa and fresh parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Preheat the oven’s broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place each tomato, cut-side up, on the pan. (If the tomatoes roll, slice off a little piece on the bottom to make a flat base.) Stuff each tomato with the quinoa mixture, pressing lightly with a spoon to pack it in. Top with the cheese and place the pan under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot.
