Cooking Quinoa

"Once you understand the foundations of cooking - whatever kind you like, whether it's French or Italian or Japanese - you really don't need a cookbook anymore." - Thomas Keller

Quinoa waiting to be rinsed

Quinoa is an underrated tasty grain with a rich history and is an affordable, delicious base for our dishes today.  You can even grow it in your garden if you feel so inclined which will likely turn into more of a novelty plant if and when you forget to try and harvest it.

Add your vegetables to the recipe below, in the actual pot, for a meal that will be done in 15 minutes.  If you find yourself with more time you can pile on the steamed or sautéed vegetables after the fact.

Add spices to the mix below to vastly change the flavor and final outcome or add sauces after cooking for the same effect.  There are probably more than a million ways to make quinoa, this is just a starting point for you to build on as you get more adventurous in the culinary world.

The following recipes will be enough for two meals for a single person or one meal each for a couple.

One Pot Recipe:

-1 Cup - Quinoa

-1 1/2 Cups - Water

-Dash of Olive Oil 

-Dash of Cumin (Optional)

-Dash of Turmeric (Optional)

-Dash of Chipotle (Optional)

-Dash of Smoked Paprika (Optional)

Add 1 1/2 cups of Water to your pot on the stove.   Add dash of Olive Oil, Cumin, Turmeric, Chipotle, and Smoked Paprika (if using) to the water.  Turn heat to high to bring the water to a boil.  Meanwhile take your 1 cup of Quinoa and add it to a drainable mesh screen bowl (that the quinoa can't go through but water can).  RINSE your Quinoa for several minutes in the kitchen sink, preferably with a sprayer while agitating the quinoa with your hands for the duration of the rinse.  This is an extremely important step as rinsing quinoa washes off some compounds that occur naturally and are very bitter.  If you don't believe me, follow this recipe this time then skip rinsing the next time you make it and you tell me which one is better (I already know the answer, it's rinsing it).  Add the quinoa to the boiling pot of water, turn the heat down to low-medium, stir and cover with lid.  Set the timer for 15 minutes, agitate the pot or stir quickly about every 5 minutes to see how the water level is.  If the water is non-existent before 15 minutes then it's done, if there's still water at 15 minutes it needs a little more time.  It should be just about right at 15 minutes though.  Fluff with fork and serve.

Instant Pot Recipe:

-1 Cup - Quinoa

-1 1/2 Cups - Water

-Dash of Olive Oil

-Dash of Cumin (Optional)

-Dash of Turmeric (Optional)

-Dash of Chipotle (Optional)

-Dash of Smoked Paprika (Optional)

Add 1 1/2 cups of Water to the instant pot.  Add dash of Olive Oil, Cumin, Turmeric, Chipotle, and Smoked Paprika (if using) to the water.  Take your 1 cup of Quinoa and add it to a drainable mesh screen bowl (that the quinoa can't go through but water can).  RINSE your Quinoa for several minutes in the kitchen sink, preferably with a sprayer while agitating the quinoa with your hands for the duration of the rinse.  This is an extremely important step as rinsing quinoa washes off some compounds that occur naturally and are very bitter.  If you don't believe me, follow this recipe this time then skip rinsing the next time you make it and you tell me which one is better (I already know the answer, it's rinsing it).  Add quinoa to the instant pot, put lid on and put on high pressure for 2 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural release.  Fluff with fork and serve.

If you want more of a savory taste and less of a hot spice then swap out all of the optional spices listed above with an Italian Seasoning.  Citrus, such as lime, goes really well with quinoa, spritz lime on after cooking for a more tropical feel, which works out especially well if you're having it with fish.  Avocado or guacamole also go really well with quinoa, adding several heaping spoonful's of fresh guacamole to your quinoa is the best.

A simple soy sauce goes a long ways and is even better if you decide to throw your quinoa in a pan with a few eggs to get some stir fried quinoa going.  You can do that same thing with rice or really any grain you cook.

Enjoy!