Recipe Review - April

Woot! A new grain! I've been reading about the wonderful taste and virtues of quinoa and I finally had the opportunity to buy a small package at the Grain Bin in Menominee, WI. This meal was inspired by a to-go Mediterranean meal from the local co-op and the recipe below was the basis for the dish.

I significantly altered the recipe: no mint, lemon rind, radicchio, yellow bell pepper, shallots or English cucumber. I did feta cheese, zucchini, kalmata olives, green onion, and tomato halves. I don't have any sherry vinegar so I used white wine.

Why so many changes? I wanted it to taste somewhat like the co-ops, I'm not wild about cucumber, and I was trying to use some fridge items up. And really, it's that kind of recipe - where you can do what you want.

I loved it! I was unprepared for how long it would take two cups of quinoa to cook and cool down so it was served rather warm. The flavors were nutty, with a hint of lemon from the lemon juice and the tang of the vinegar. And it makes A LOT. Halving would be a serious option here. I strongly recommend serving this with some hummus and pita wedges on the side for a great take on Mediterranean.

Colorful Quick Quinoa Grecian Salad (Cooking Light, APRIL 2006)
Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
2 cups uncooked quinoa
3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio
1/2 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped English cucumber
1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
3 tablespoons chopped pitted kalamata olives
1 tablespoon minced shallots

Preparation
Place quinoa in a large bowl; cover with water. Let stand 5 minutes; rinse well, and drain.

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan; stir in quinoa. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Uncover; fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature.

Combine olive oil and next 5 ingredients (through sea salt) in a large bowl. Add cooled quinoa, tomatoes, and the remaining ingredients; toss well.