8 Quinoa Recipes We Love
By Nicole Kiley, MSc, RD
As we recently discussed in our Superfood Smoothie blog, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WAH) is a nutrition powerhouse! It contains all 9 essential amino acids and is rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The part of quinoa we consume is a seed, so it is naturally gluten-free as well. Quinoa is wonderful to cook with, as it will take on the flavor of other foods, spices, and seasonings. This leaves lots of room for creativity! Here are 8 of our favorite quinoa recipes out of our Living Lean Cookbook.
Pineapple Chicken “Fried” Quinoa
Serves 3 to 4
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 organic chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces – or use tofu, extra firm, cubed
1 cup crushed pineapple
2 eggs, beaten (optional)
3/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
3 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, diced
Directions
• Add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to large saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce heat and cover for 15 minutes. Coat small pan with coconut oil and cook chicken.
• (Skip next two steps if making Vegan option).
• Coat another small pan with coconut oil and cook eggs without stirring. Once solid, put eggs on cutting surface and chop.
• Using egg pan, sauté mushrooms, green onions and carrots until tender. Stir in quinoa, pineapple and egg pieces.
• Add chicken to vegetable mixture.
• Add soy sauce and stir. Serve hot.
Cashew & Quinoa Berry Bowl
Serves 2 to 3
Ingredients
3/4 cup dry quinoa
1 pint organic strawberries, sliced
16 oz. fresh organic blueberries
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
Dressing
2 Tbsp. honey or agave
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
dash of Pink Himalayan sea salt
Directions
• Cook quinoa according to package directions.
• Place fruit and cashews in a large bowl.
• Mix the dressing ingredients (honey, balsamic, lime juice, salt) in a small bowl.
• Add quinoa to fruit and mix in dressing. Divide amongst serving bowls and enjoy!
Greek Yogurt Quinoa Cup
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1/4 cup orange blossom honey
1/4 tsp. Pink Himalayan sea salt
4 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
2 cups fresh berries of your choice
Directions
• Add honey and salt to cooked cold quinoa.
• Scoop 1/4 cup Greek yogurt each into a 8 tall glasses. Layer yogurt with 2 Tbsp. quinoa and 2 Tbsp. berries. Repeat layers until cup is full.
Pumpkin Spice Quinoa Bake
Serves 4
Ingredients
2/3 cup warm water
1 banana
2 Tbsp. organic pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp. pure organic vanilla extract
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup raw quinoa
For The Topping
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup raw pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp. almond flour
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 Tbsp. coconut flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
sprinkle of sea salt
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
Directions
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mash banana in bowl first.
• Add banana, water, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice to an 8” x 8” casserole dish or round cake pan. Stir to combine. Then add quinoa.
• Cover with glass lid or foil and bake for 45 minutes, or until most of the liquid is gone.
• While the casserole is cooking, let’s work on the topping.
• Add pecans, raisins, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a small bowl. Mix well, then stir in coconut oil. Put the bowl in the freezer.
Cashew & Mint Quinoa
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 cup cashews, crushed
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1 cup cauliflower, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
Directions
• Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside. Sauté carrots and cauliflower until tender.
• Combine all ingredients in large bowl and serve.
Quinoa Southwest Salad
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 can black beans (drained)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 cup fresh green beans, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 medium vine-ripened tomato, sliced
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1/4 cup sliced olives
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. avocado oil
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (for dressing)
Directions
• Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
• Together, sauté garlic, carrot, peppers, green beans and celery in 2 Tbsp. of avocado oil for about 5 minutes until soft.
• Transfer quinoa and veggies to large bowl and mix.
• Add in all additional ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Dish into individual serving bowls and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
Warm Apple Quinoa
Serves 1 to 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 apple, chopped
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash of Saigon cinnamon
Directions
• Mix ingredients in small pot and heat until warm. Serve and enjoy!
Zucchini, Black Bean & Quinoa Soup
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 large onion, sliced
1 1/2 cups black beans
2 large carrots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. avocado oil
1 lb. zucchini, chopped
1 lb. kale leaves, chopped
dash of sea salt
dash of black pepper
Directions
• In a large pot bring chicken broth to a boil and add in quinoa. Lower to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 30-40 minutes or until quinoa is soft.
• Meanwhile, in large pan, sauté onions, carrots and garlic in avocado oil until tender.
• Add in zucchini and cook about 5 minutes.
• Mix in kale and cook until wilted, then set aside.
• When quinoa is soft, stir in black beans along with veggie mixture.
• Season with salt and pepper. The soup should be pretty thick. You can thin it out with additional broth if you’d like. Enjoy!
Nicole is the Head Registered Dietitian at The Dolce Diet. She believes that long-term health is achieved through an individualized approach to nutrition that is not only evidence-based, but also sustainable and enjoyable. Serving both our private clients and professional athletes, Nicole aims to empower individuals with confidence and education, fully equipping them to reach and maintain their health goals.
