Coconut Quinoa
Coconut Quinoa
The taste of quinoa is nutty, earthy and delicious. It pairs well with flavors like dried cranberries, walnuts, sweet potatoes and acorn squash, just to name a few. Coconut quinoa pairs well with grilled fish or chicken breast, as well as with shrimp. It’s the perfect side dish or served as a light lunch alongside a small salad. Quinoa is super delicious and nutritious. Make it part of your diet to reap it’s benefits.
What is Quinoa?
Quinoa [KEEN-wah] Although quinoa is new to the American market, it has been a staple in South American cuisine for a very long time. Called “the mother grain” and hailed as the “supergrain of the future, “Quinoa” contains more protein than any other grain. It’s considered a complete protein because it contains all eight essential amino acids. Quinoa is also higher in unsaturated fats, lower in carbohydrates than most grains and provides a rich and balanced source of vital nutrients.
Delicate Flavor
Tiny and bead-shaped, the ivory colored quinoa cooks like rice but takes half the time to cook as regular rice, and expands to four times its original volume. Its flavor is delicate, almost bland, and is compared to couscous. Quinoa can be used in any way suitable for rice. As part of a main dish, a side dish, in soups, in salads, in puddings and even in breads and cookies. It’s available packaged as a grain, in several forms of pasta and ground into flour. Quinoa can be purchased in natural food stores and supermarkets.
Coconut Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed well
- 1 13.5 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- roasted coconut chips, garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add quinoa and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 5 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, salt and 1 1/2 cups water, stir to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is evaporated, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let sit 10 minutes, fluff with a fork.
Serve this delicious side dish alongside grilled chicken breast or pork chops. Honeyed Carrots
Recipe adapted from: Bon Appetit
Roasted coconut chips: Trader Joe’s