I have a terrific group of ladies who join me many times a year to taste wine and sample new food recipes. We call ourselves the Cork & Bottle Club. This dish was prepared by Merry and we all loved it! Quinoa is a seed but we use it as a grain. It’s a wonderful replacement to rice in your dishes. The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans.
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/3 cup diced dried figs, or golden raisins
2 cups veggie broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint or cilantro
In a medium pan, cook onion and bell pepper in oil until soft. Add spices, stir to combine. Add quinoa and cook 1 minute. Stir in figs and liquid, bring to a boil, cover and let simmer 20-25 minutes until liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and let stand, covered 5 or more minutes.
Stir in almonds and mint when ready to serve.
~ Recipe from www.healthylivingwithjoline.com
