Summer Harvest Quinoa from Susie Fishbein
Here is the second offering from Susie Fishbein’s new book, Kosher by Design Lightens Up, which I reviewed at the end of May. It is available in book stores, published by Mesorah Publications.
Special Note: Susie’s recipe describes this dish as meat dish or parve dish, which means it can be served as a side dish at either a kosher meat meal or dairy meal. Translated for my site, it means the dish is vegan as well as gluten-free, since keenwa is a glorious, gluten-free grain. While the book says this makes 6 servings, this would be my entree, so if you are serving it to vegetarians, I would say it serves only 4.
Ingredients
1 cup oncooked quinoa
2 cups water or stock (I use veggie stock)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 zucchini, with skin, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 yellow squash, with skin, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, threads removed, quartered
1/2 cup red grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly minced ginger
3/4 teaspoon garlc powder
6 large fresh mint leaves, very finely chopped
6 large basil leaves, very finely chopped
juice of one lemon
Susie’d Introduction to this recipe:
Pronounced “keen-wa,” this seed can be found as a cereal and in the form of flour, grain, or pasta. Of all grains, quinoa has the highest protein content, and the protein contained is of excellent quality, which enhances other foods in the dish. Other benefits of eating quinoa include its ability to fight cancer and lower cholesterol levels. And don;t forget about the iron, potassium, riboflavin, Vitamin B6, niacin and thiamin you will be providing your body with too….all from this little grain!
Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, either in a strainer or in a pot and drain. Do not skip this step, or the bitter-tasting, natural soap-like coating will remain. (Bold is mine. This was a new step for quinoa for me, which I will now follow.ES) Once the quinoa is drained, place it into a medium pot with the water or stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. YOu will know when it is done as the grains turn translucent and the outer layer pops. Drain any excess water that may remain.
Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini and squash. Saute 2-3 minutes, tossing to coat with oil. Add the snap peas and saute for 2 minutes longer. Add the red and yellow tomatoes and saute for a final 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. A d the ginger and the garlic powder. Stir in the mint and basil. Add the (cooked) quinoa. Mix until all the colors are distributed. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Transfer to a bowl or container to cool. Best served at room temperature.
Note: While I agree with Susie that this dish is best served at room temperature, I would refrigerate it soon after it is assembled and take it out a few minutes before ready to serve to be at room temperature. Especially in hot weather, leaving cooked food out to cool is not a good idea, based on what I have learned about food safety.