September 8, 2008
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Monday dinner – superfood, etc.
Quinoa is, simply put, amazing. Low in the bad stuff, high in the good. Loaded with protein and iron, and versatile as fuck. Easy to cook – it’s lots more forgiving than most grains, texture-wise – it’s something everyone ought to eat more of. So here’s one way I whip it up from time to time:
1 cup (uncooked) quinoa + 2 cups cold water
1 cucumber, seeded & diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint (basil would be fine, too)
4-5 green onions, diced (white and green parts)
1/2+ cup dried cranberries (not craisins, please)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup crumbled fetaCook the quinoa (just like rice – combine grain & water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, cover & reduce heat to minimum for about 15-20 minutes). Uncover and let cool while you prep everything else. Combine everything together. Salt & pepper if you’d like. Eat it.
You could use low- or non-fat feta here; the cheese’s texture isn’t all that important, and the low- and non-fat versions of feta still have that lovely briny flavor. Basil instead of mint changes the character of the dish entirely, but it’s equally good. You can serve this with some kind of grilled meat, and/or a dollop of plain yogurt if you want to be all Mediterranean about it. Pine nuts make a fine addition as well.
