If you haven’t discovered quinoa yet, you don’t know what you’re missing!  Contrary to popular belief, it’s not only for gluten-free eaters.  It’s just as versatile as pasta and rice and is packed with protein. My brand of choice is Bob’s Red Mill:

I always make a large batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week then keep it stored in the fridge (for up to a week sometimes) and basically plan the weeks’ meals around it.

Here are some of my favourite recipes:

Caramelized Onion Lentil Raisin Quinoa
Pesto “Caprese” Quinoa Salad
Sauteed Zucchini and Pesto Quinoa

This recipe is a twist on my Salmon Dill and Lemon Orzo Salad, which (note to self) I haven’t made in quite some time.  The other day I was craving a fresh and light, yet satisfying meal, and since I had quinoa on hand (and no salmon in the freezer) I decided to switch up the old recipe with this new (and improved, I must say!) rendition.

Quinoa might not come cheap, but it expands three to four times it’s original size so a little goes a long way!  As a general rule of thumb the cooking ratio is 2:1.  So for every ONE cup of quinoa use TWO cups of water or broth.  I usually find that I need to add an additional 1/4 cup or so of liquid to get the desired texture.

*TIP: Be sure to buy pre-rinsed organic quinoa otherwise it will have to be soaked in water for a few hours.  Rinsing the quinoa loosens the bitter coating making it more palatable (especially for baby!).

1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup pre-cooked frozen shrimp (or about 12 small shrimp)
1 garlic clove, halved or finely chopped
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
zest of 1/4 lemon
saffron (if desired)
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté garlic in olive oil in a small frying pan on medium heat for about 2 minutes.

Add finely chopped shrimp, saffron, lemon zest, salt and pepper and sauté for 3-4  minutes until the shrimp is heated through.

Add pre-cooked quinoa and sauté for about 2 minutes until warmed thoroughly.

Add lemon zest, stir for one minute to combine.  (Don’t forget to remove the garlic before serving, unless you chopped it finely!)

Serve warm and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Still convinced quinoa is not your thing?

Take a look at these links and get the scoop on its health benefits and versatility!

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice
http://www.livestrong.com/article/4695-need-health-benefits-quinoa/