March 22, 2015
On Sunday night when we were grilling the flank steak I was in the mood for a different but fairly simple side dish. Neither potatoes or rice sounded good to me and I wanted something green to add to our plates and our bellies. I had not made Quinoa for a while and decided it fit the bill.
one pot side dish that could also be a vegetarian meal.

If you have not had quinoa before, it is a grain that cooks up like rice and has all kinds of great health benefits. It is high in protein, is gluten free, and it provides iron, folate and vitamin B. It does not have a strong flavor so it takes on spice or sauce flavors well. It has been labeled as a superfood. I wanted to combine it with a power blend of baby greens I had in the refrigerator. It was a mixture of baby spinach, kale and swiss chard.

I searched online for a recipe and found one on another blog, A Healthy Life For Me. It was for Quinoa and Mustard Greens. I have loosely followed that recipe with some changes. I did add some crumbled goat cheese at the end for a creamy flavor and a little brighter presentation. To make the side dish even more super, the original recipe called for Chia Seeds and walnuts. I skipped the walnuts since we were going to have plenty of protein with the flank steak. The chia seeds meld into the quinoa to add more nutrients and protein!

quinoa blend, shallots, olive oil and water ready to be cooked.

The process is really very easy. The quinoa cooks in water for about 20 minutes. The chia seeds, greens and additional olive oil are added to the mixture to wilt. Several stirs and re-covering the pan will help to incorporate all. A sprinkling of lemon juice and seasoning at the end really brightens up the flavor. Just before serving the goat cheese is sprinkled on.

Quinoa Power Greens Pilaf

Serves 4

Preparation about 20 minutes total

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tsp dried shallots (optional) or green onion chopped fine
2 TBS chia seeds
1 Tbs olive oil
4 or 5 cups baby greens (spinach, kale, chard, or mustard green in combo)
1/2 lemon juiced
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 ounces goat cheese for topping

Instructions

Rinse Quinoa with cold water and add to a saucepan with 2 cups water, 1 Tbs olive oil and dried shallots or green onion. Cover and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, reduce to a simmer and cover to cook for about 15 more minutes. You will know when the quinoa is cooked when the little grains pop to form a spiral shape.

Add chia seeds, another Tbs of olive oil, the greens and salt and pepper. Stir and cover. Repeat this several times to be sure the quinoa is not sticking to the pan and that all of the greens are wilting properly. You can add a little more olive oil if needed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Sprinkle lemon juice onto the mixture and stir. Last, add the crumbled goat cheese to top. Cover for 2-3 minutes so the cheese softens into the mixture. Serve warm or room temperature.

Notes