Mexican Quinoa Chili Stew

22 05 2018

quinoa stew 2This stew tastes a lot like a chili without the heaviness of a lot of beans and beef. I recommend it garnished with chopped avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, fresh lime, crushed tortilla chips and chopped cilantro. 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

3 1/2 cups water

1 28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground chili powder

1 tsp chipotle powder

1 tsp paprika

cayenne pepper to taste if you want it hotter

salt and pepper to taste

(please use all the spices liberally and to taste)

3/4 cup quinoa

1/4 cup chopped cilantro plus more to garnish

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Thai Quinoa Pilaf with Lemongrass, Basil and Mint

11 10 2013

This is an adapted recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, Fusion Food Cookbook. Originally, it was a Thai Rice Pilaf but I substituted the quinoa to make it a little lighter and healthier. Of course you can always make it the original way with jasmine rice.  I serve this often with grilled fish and vegetables. It is super flavorful. Read the rest of this entry »





Quinoa and Fennel Pilaf

3 08 2011
Quinoa is still my new favorite grain. This is a very flavorful side dish particularly if you like the sublte licorice flavor of fennel. If you want a stronger fennel flavor add a little fennel powder or fennel pollen into the broth. I served this as a side to the Ratatouille Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

1 cup quinoa

1/2 small white onion, finely chopped

1 celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 tsp salt or more to taste

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Grilled Mahi Mahi on Curried Quinoa with Mango Lime Sauce

5 04 2011

I have found the best fishmonger here in Florida, and I am getting to experiment with all kinds of fish. I think I like to grill fish best. So Mahi Mahi is a perfect fish for on the barbecue. I was inspired by a recipe I found for curried couscous but I think the quinoa is even better. We served this outside surrounded by tiki torches. I felt like I was at a Hawaiian Luau.

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Quinoa and Roasted Vegetable Salad

27 01 2011
I used this dish as the grain and vegetable for an amazing meal I made for my friend’s birthday. Inspired by the chef I work with at Lola’s On Harrison in Hollywood, Florida, I topped this grain salad with Mahi Mahi. I rubbed the fish with a mixture of curry powder, cumin powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and onion powder, and sea salt. Then I pan seared it and finished it off in the oven. I put the fish atop the quinoa and then put some roasted butternut squash and asparagus around the fish and drizzled some of the extra vinaigrette from the quinoa over the top. It was delicious. Thank you Michael for the inspiration.

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Moroccan Vegetable Stew with Quinoa

14 03 2010
I love the flavors of Morocco, particularly a good tagine served over couscous. I saw this idea to use quinoa instead of couscous and I thought that would be great for people who are gluten-free. I discovered quinoa makes a perfect substitute. Remember, when making a stew, you can substitute any vegetables you have on hand. This stew also would have been good with some garbanzo beans in it. You can make it less spicy and then add harissa in, (a Moroccan chili paste), to your own liking. Read the rest of this entry »




Quinoa and Vegetable Soup

14 01 2010

Serves 4-6

I love quinoa. It is a delicious grain, not too starchy, and really nutritious. This is a simple soup made with ingredients indigenous to the Americas. The quinoa thickens the soup slightly and adds a nice nutty taste. Read the rest of this entry »





Incan Corn, Potato, Quinoa Risotto (sort of)

13 01 2010

Serves 4 – 5

This is a delicious variation of a risotto. It is a one dish meal eaten in a bowl. The quinoa is a very different texture to the creamy, starchy rice normally found in risotto. Quinoa is extremely nutritious and gluten free. Read the rest of this entry »