Mixing Quinoa With Lemons

Quinoa is one of my absolute favorite grains! Easy to make, versatile to use, and a powerhouse of iron, magnesium, dietary fiber, and phosphorus. Even more, it has a balanced amount of our essential amino acids (aka: protein). This is one of those fabulous foods that can also turn from sweet to savory, and be equally delicious. I typically eat quinoa in the fashion of savory, adding in random spices and as many veggies as I can find. The recipe I am sharing with you, is the one I will be enjoying tonight for dinner... as I am always in search of new ways to enjoy favorite foods, my research and experimentation tends to be vast. With that said, usually the simpler the recipe, the better the outcome and taste (at least in my experience). Recipes with anything lemon tends to win me over, so hopes are high for dinner tonight. I wanted something a bit different, but still simple and light. I hope you make it with me, so that we can enjoy this tasty dish together! (p.s. I love quinoa as a side with fish. Grilled white fish would go great with lemon quinoa if you are creating a complete meal...ooo with some asparagus and maybe a glass of wine too!).

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• sea salt to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. Toast the pine nuts briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat. This will take about 5 minutes, and stir constantly as they will burn easily. Set aside to cool.
2. In a saucepan, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, about 10 minutes. Cool slightly, then fluff with a fork.
3. Transfer the quinoa to a serving bowl and stir in the pine nuts, lemon juice, celery, onion, cayenne pepper, cumin and parsley. Adjust salt and pepper if needed before serving.

Prep Time 10 min Cook Time 15 min Courtesy of allrecipe.com, borrowed on 5/24/2010