Quinoa is one of those wonder-foods that's so nutritious, it's garnered its own year. The United Nations dubbed 2013 the International Year of Quinoa in order to spur farmers around the world to take an interest in growing it in their home countries. Grown high in the Andes of South America, quinoa is one of very few plants that contains all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein, and on top of being a healthy powerhouse, quinoa tastes good!
If your kids are leery of trying new foods, whip up this fruit-filled, colorful quinoa salad, which comes from KewlBites: 100 Nutritious, Delicious Family-Friendly Dishes, authored by child-actor-turned-chef, Reed Alexander.
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Kewl Quinoa
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
1½ cups dry prewashed organic quinoa
1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1½ cups water
15 to 25 spears fresh asparagus (depending on thickness), tough ends removed, sliced into ½- to 1-inch pieces
½ cup fresh kumquats, sliced into thin rings and all seeds removed
¼ cup toasted unsalted pumpkin seeds
¼ cup unsalted almonds, coarsely chopped
¼ cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 Tablespoons dried cranberries
3 Tablespoons golden raisins
Directions:
1. Combine the quinoa, broth, and water in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the quinoa has just absorbed all of the liquid and is tender.
2. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork, and transfer to a large, heatproof serving bowl. Set aside.
3. While the quinoa is cooking, coat a sauté pan with olive oil and set over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the asparagus and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still vibrantly green in color and not mushy in texture, 5 to 6 minutes.
4. To assemble the salad, add the asparagus, kumquats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, parsley, cranberries, and raisins to the cooked quinoa. Toss with a large spoon to combine. Drizzle in about 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss once again to completely distribute. Serve warm or chilled.