Since I discovered quinoa I have been searching for ways to prepare it. Making quinoa is easy as you can simply make it like you make rice or oatmeal. However, you can dress it up more or dress it down depending your time and occasion. It is a fun grain to add to any type of meal from breakfast to dinner.
The following are two very different recipes yet both using quinoa as the base.
Good-Morning Banana Nut Cereal
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon quinoa
1/2 small banana, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons rolled oats
1 tablespoon oat bran
1 pinch salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
1. Stir the water, milk, and quinoa together in a saucepan; bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, or until the quinoa begins to soften. Stir in the banana, rolled oats, oat bran, salt, and cinnamon. Cook, stirring frequently over low heat for 2 to 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts, brown sugar, and vanilla.
2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp sea salt
2/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped fine
1/3 cup fresh Parmesan, grated
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 cup whole grain breadcrumbs (or gluten free bread crumbs)
1 T extra virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. In a medium bowl combine quinoa, eggs, and salt. Stir in garlic, chives, onion, cheese and cayenne pepper. Add breadcrumbs and allow to sit for a couple of minutes.
2. Form into 1 inch patties. The mixture should be very moist. You may need to add water or extra breadcrumbs to moisten or make the mixture dryer.
3. Place a large skillet over medium low heat. Heat olive oil. Add as many patties as your skillet can handle, being careful not to overload it so that you have trouble flipping the quinoa patties.
4. Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. If after 10 minutes your patties aren’t brown turn the heat up and cook (carefully to avoid burning) until they brown. Flip and cook for 7 more minutes on the other side.
5. Allow to cool on a wire rack, keeping your spatula handy to fend off family members who try to steal them.