It's been a very snowy winter here in the Northeast! So what better thing to do when you are snowed in than cook. Always trying to come up with ways to make healthy foods tasty, I feel this Quinoa dish meets this expectation. Especially if you are saying what is Quinoa?

Quinoa is most commonly considered a grain. However, quinoa is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and swiss chard. Quinoa is high in protein, calcium and iron and a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. The protein in quinoa contains almost a perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids therefore, quinoa is a great source for a complete protein.

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it a great alternative for white rice. There are many varieties of Quinoa. The most common one I use most is the white variety.  Quinoa is commonly cooked much like rice, bringing water to a boil then adding the grain and covering it to simmer for about 12-15 minutes. Due to the relatively high oil and fat content in quinoa, it's best stored it in the refrigerator.

Now that you learned a little bit about Quinoa, here is an easy recipe to try:

1 cup Quinoa
1 1/4 cup water (you can use vegetable stock for half the liquid to enhance the flavor)
3 medium carrots (diced)
2-3 green onions
3 bunches of broccoli heads/florets
2 Tlbs olive oil
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp pepper (to taste)
1/4 tsp red cayanne pepper (to taste)
Cilantro (to taste)

1st step: Cook Broccoli

Cut the broccoli florets and coat them wiith olive oil and some salt. I put the broccoli in a zip lock bag pour a teaspoon of olive oil and sprinkle salt. Then I shake the bag until all is coated. Empty the broccoli onto a ungreased baking sheet and cover with foil. Place in Pre-heat oven at 375 degrees. Cook for 15 minutes (while you cook the Quinoa). Uncover after 15 minutes and broil for 2 minutes. Remove, cut into small pieces and add to Quinoa

2nd step: Quinoa cooking and sautee

Boil 1 1/4 cups of water then add 1 cup of Quinoa (you can follow the cooking directions on your package of Quinoa. Remember to rinse quinoa first). Once Quinoa is added to boiling water, lower heat to simmer and cover pot. Cook for 12-15 minutes. While the Quinoa is cooking, sautee carrots and green onions.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add carrots and green onions, salt and pepper. Sautee for about 10 minutes on medium heat or until carrots are tender. Add cooked Quinoa to sautee pan and mix thoroughly. Add broccoli and cayanne pepper and mix again. Some people may wish to add a little more olive oil at this time.

3rd step: ENJOY

Transfer to a serving bowl and mix in chopped cilantro (amount of cilantro is based on taste). I sometimes also add a few raw cashews or tamari almonds in my bowl when serving for an added crunch. Salt to taste and enjoy!

If this is your first time trying Quinoa, I hope it's a tasty first step