Quinoa Mix-Ins for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
The healthy, grain-like seed can be your go-to ingredient, whether you want a filling dinner, a light lunch or a breakfast that'll keep you full all morning.
By Lynn Andriani
The Blank Slate
Quinoa cooks faster than rice and boasts a way better nutritional profile (Dr. Oz even includes the healthy carb in
his two-day wonder cleanse). Keep a plain bowl of it in the fridge, and you'll have meals all week. Here's how to get your blank slate started: In a saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add a cup of rinsed quinoa and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork; season with a pinch of salt. You'll have 3 cups, which you can then use tons of different ways...
Photo: Alison Gootee/Studio D
A Warm and Smoky Dinner
Three-quarters cup of quinoa serves as the perfect base for a savory and smoky sauté. You can use whatever meat (or veggie protein) you'd like; this recipe calls for a pound of large shrimp, but you could also swap in an equal amount of diced chicken or tofu. Whichever you choose, adding a teaspoon of smoked paprika adds instant flavor, and the quinoa will help soak up the tasty sauce.
Get the recipe: Smoky Shrimp Sauté with Garlic
Photo: Alison Gootee/Studio D
A Bright Winter Salad
Stirring orange zest, orange juice, orange segments and chopped pistachios into 3 cups of cooked quinoa brings zest and crunch. Throw in crisp-tender, chopped broccoli and diced red bell pepper, and you've got color and extra nutrients, too.
Get the recipe: Quinoa Salad with Orange Pistachio
Photo: Alison Gootee/Studio D
Veggie Chili with Benefits
Meatless chili can sometimes feel like vegetable soup with a different name—but the addition of quinoa lends a chewy heft (bonus: it helps tame the dish's heat). Stir a cup of cooked quinoa into the pot just before serving.
Get the recipe: Quinoa-Black Bean Chili
Hot Cereal with Way More Protein
Swirl a spoonful of buttery-tasting pistachios, a dash of vanilla extract, sweet honey and tangy low-fat yogurt into a bowl of hot quinoa, and you'll have a protein-rich breakfast that tastes (almost) like dessert.
Get the recipe: Hot Pistachio Cereal with Greek Yogurt and Honey
Next: The fastest supergrain recipes for busy cooks
The Breakfast that's Even Quicker than a Smoothie
Slicing a banana and throwing in a handful of berries is all it takes to transform a serving of quinoa into a satisfying breakfast bowl. It even gets a healthy boost from hemp seeds, maple syrup and cinnamon. Eat it straight out of the bowl or pack in a mason jar for an Instagram-worthy breakfast on the go.
Get the recipe: Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
The Quinoa Recipe Oprah Loves
"This quinoa salad is delicious with Marcona almonds, but I sometimes substitute toasted pine nuts, because everything tastes better with toasted pine nuts!" —Oprah Winfrey
Get the recipe:
Quinoa Salad with Lemon-Shallot Dressing
The Dish that Satisfies Your Chinese Takeout Craving
If you're in the mood for fried rice, try this quinoa recipe instead. This warm dish includes cubes of browned tofu and a dressing made from lime juice; sesame oil or walnut oil; soy sauce and fresh ginger. Plus, it has more fiber than white rice.
Get the recipe:
Quinoa Salad with Sugar Snap Peas, Tofu, and Ginger Vinaigrette
Read more: https://www.oprah.com/food/quinoa-salad-with-sugar-snap-peas-tofu-and-ginger-vinaigrette#ixzz4VfrbWHxT
Published 01/16/2014
