Scrumptious Quinoa Side Dish - Recipes Perfect for Picnics or Anytime
By Peggy W
Quinoa Salad / Side Dish
Highly nutritious and easy to make!
This scrumptious quinoa side dish is my own version of an easy recipe I first saw on one of the food network channels using some ingredients from my own garden. It would be a perfect picnic dish or could be served almost anytime one wishes to eat a delicious and highly nutritious meal.
Unfamiliar with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) until my husband and I happened to be watching that particular show together, I was intrigued.
It looks a bit like couscous (which we both like) and when I found out that it is an exceptional source of protein, I decided to try it sometime.
My hubby and I were shopping in Costco one day when I spotted a 4 pound bag of it. While it might have been nice to have sampled a little smaller amount...to make sure that we would like it...we decided to go ahead and make that purchase.
Those of you who are familiar with membership warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's know that items are generally presented in larger amounts...perfect for large families or people who enjoy the savings by purchasing items presented in bulk.
Thus, we took a leap of faith that it would be good and I am pleased to showcase my first successful recipe using quinoa as the base ingredient.
Quinoa in bag
- http://www.planeta.com/planeta/99/1199quinoa.html
Atawallpap Mikhunan: Quinoa, Mother Grain of the Incas
Quinoa's health benefits
The picture to the right shows the bag that we purchased at Costco. It was easy to see the little beads of the 100% whole grain through the clear window. Also being able to see that it was organic, gluten free, wheat free and a protein source encouraged my purchase of the quinoa.
Reading the back of the bag it described the quinoa as having a slightly nutty flavor.
It contains all eight essential amino acids making it a terrific source of protein for vegetarians as well as other people who simply wish to be choosing good and nutritious foods to put into their bodies.
Other benefits include being high in calcium, iron, B vitamins, magnesium and fiber.
Two recipes were on the back of the bag...one of them a Quinoa Pilaf which suggested using chopped onion, carrots, vegetable broth, chopped walnuts and parsley.
Toasted almonds and cranberries were the main ingredients along with flavorings for the other suggested quinoa recipe on the bag.
It was easy to surmise that both sweet and savory dishes could be concocted using quinoa.
Fresh ingredients for the quinoa side dish
Quinoa Recipes
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This easy recipe that I created only necessitates a few items with which to prepare this tasty side dish. If you have a cutting board, sharp knife, measuring cup, sieve and pot for cooking the quinoa with a bowl to later combine all the elements...you are ready to begin!
Recipe ingredients...
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
3 or 4 large table onions
1 yellow pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 of a large English cucumber
1 large lemon
large handful of fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground pepper to taste
Measuring and rinsing the quinoa / cooked quinoa
Let's begin to assemble this quinoa side dish...
Measure out the quinoa and either soak the grains for a while afterwards straining them or put into a sieve and hold under running water until the water runs clear.
Much of the quinoa one purchases has already been rinsed before being packaged. But this extra rinsing of the product eliminates any bitterness that might still be attached to the grain.
After rinsing, put into a pot with the water and bring to a boil after-which the quinoa is simmered until done.
This takes anywhere from 10 to 15 minutes.
Watch the pot as all of the liquid will have been absorbed when the quinoa is fully cooked.
It should still have a slightly chewy feel and the look of it will change. A white spiral-like little curly thread-like appearance will be surrounding or will be separated from the individual grains of the quinoa.
A picture of what it looks like cooked is provided to the right.
Next step: Cool the quinoa to at least room temperature. I put the cooked quinoa into the refrigerator in a bowl which would hold all of the other ingredients to help speed up this cooling process.
Chopped fresh ingredients for the quinoa side dish
Preparing the rest of the ingredients...
Chop the English cucumber into small diced pieces. We prefer using those cucumbers for their burp-less feature, but of course, regular cucumbers would be just fine to use...especially if you have them growing in your garden. Zucchini would be a nice alternate ingredient.
Dice the yellow pepper into similar sized pieces. Any other colored pepper would also be fine. Yellow or orange peppers offer more color contrast to the dish when finished...but use what you have especially if grown in your garden.
The extra long green onions were from our garden so if you are purchasing them from a grocery store you might need one or two more to make up for the size of the ones I utilized. Slice both the white and green parts for use in this quinoa side dish. Naturally you could also use another type of mild onion if you wish.
These grape tomatoes were cut in half or quartered depending upon the size of each of them. Attempt to make each of the additional ingredients relative in size to the others for a pretty presentation. If you want to substitute other types of tomatoes, just cut them proportionately to approximate these.
Mint grows profusely in our garden and after removing the individual leaves, I rolled them in a tight bunch and then sliced through with a sharp knife leaving shreds of mint to be mixed throughout the quinoa side dish. If you do not have mint, parsley would be a good substitute.
It is easy to substitute vegetables or herbs of your own choosing with this recipe. Just try and provide some that will add some color and crunch to this cold quinoa side dish.
- http://www.quinoa.net/181.html
Many delicious sounding recipes including quinoa pilaf, lasagna, soup, pudding and more.....I think that I will be giving some of these a try!
Quinoa 101
Completing this recipe...
After adding all the chopped ingredients to the cooled and cooked quinoa, make a dressing using the extra virgin olive oil, the fresh squeezed lemon juice and salt and pepper. Adjust the seasonings to your taste.
Blend well and refrigerate. This makes a large portion which will feed many people if used as a side dish. It fills a 48 oz ( 3 pound plastic lidded container ) that I have recycled from a different purchase some time ago. I'm big into recycling things!
This quinoa side dish can be served chilled or at room temperature which makes it a perfect food combination to take to a picnic as there is nothing that will quickly spoil at warmer temperatures. Serve it anytime...alone or with other dishes and be prepared for compliments. Bon Appetite!
Quinoa Recipes - Gail Simmons
Fruited Breakfast Quinoa
Quinoa Series / Wild Mushroom Quinoa Risotto
Quinoa
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Do you think that you will give this or other quinoa recipes a try?
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Black Bean and Quinoa Pita Pocket
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- Cheap and Easy Dinner ~ Easy Casserole Recipe using Sausage and Veggies
Simple to make delicious, savory meal meant to be served with bread to sop up all the juices. Step by step photos. - 30 Minute Recipe ~ Chicken Mozzarella with Italian Flair
Who would believe that with only 3 ingredients plus salt & pepper this easy chicken entree could become a favorite company dish! Directions & photos. - Live Crawfish, Crayfish or Mudbugs ~ Cooking Crawfish ~ Crawfish Season
- Grocery Store Prices from 1957 in Corpus Christi, Texas
Best quinoa recipes highly recommended by nutritionists
- My Mother's Sour Cream Coffeecake Recipe
- Sweetheart Heart Shaped Cookies for Valentines Day Gifts or Anytime
- Treasured Old Timey Sweet Recipes from my Grandma's Past
- Easy Gazpacho Cold Soup Recipe that will WOW your Family and Friends
- Healthy Oatmeal Cookies Recipe ~ Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookies ~ Baking ~ Gifts
Coconut Quinoa Curry Superfood Recipe
Comments
Hi SanneL,
Nice to know that you will be enjoying this quinoa recipe. It is good, and obviously other things can be added or substituted. I'll have to make some again soon. Thanks for your comment and the sharing of this hub.
Quinoa sounds like a versatile and nutritious ingredient. As I am trying to reduce the amount of meat I eat over the span of each week, I'm going to jump in with both feet and give this staple a try.
Your photos accompanying this hub are eye-catching and add much to the text.
Voted up and SHARED.
I use this healthy and tasty grain a lot in my cooking. It's a great source of protein among other things. Just by looking at your picture, I know I will try this recipe. It looks and sounds so delicious. However, I will have it as my main dish. A huge portion of it, Yum!!
Wonderful pictures! Rated up and definitely sharing!
Hello vespawoolf,
Have you tried all the different types of quinoa? So far I have only used the white variety. Love it! So easy to put into soups and other things. Your tabouli recipe sounds intriguing. Have you published it as a hub? Thanks for your comment.
We are overflowing with quinoa down here in Peru! I make something I call quinoa tabouli, similar to this recipe, but I'm going to try yours this week. Your photos are beautiful!
Hello Kris,
As you say, quinoa is rich with protein and can certainly be used as a main dish item. Hope you like this side dish recipe and thanks for your comment.
I love quinoa and look forward to trying this recipe with it. Quinoa has a such great protein content that it can also be a stand alone main dish too! Thanks for sharing it.
Hi doodlebugs,
Yes...obviously quinoa is a more healthy alternative to many of the refined starches that most people eat. Thanks for your comment.
Nice Hub. I first learned of Quinoa last year and have cooked it a few times since then. It must be better for you than the highly processed grains we are used to eating.
Hi Charlinex,
I never thought about adding quinoa to rice, but I'll bet that the difference in texture would be good. Thanks for the idea! :)
Peggy, it's great to learn different ways to eat quinoa. Thanks. Sometimes I add quinoa into rice. For some unknown reason, my dog just loves it. I like the interesting texture it adds to the rice. :)
Hello marpauling,
So glad to hear that you enjoyed this quinoa side dish. It is good! I'll have to make some more soon. Thanks for your comment.
I love it. Thanks for sharing.
Hi glutenfreelyn,
Quinoa is a very versatile grain. Just made some homemade soup a few days ago and used it in that recipe. So nutritious and easy to use. I'll have to try the red and black varieties sometime. Is there a great flavor difference? Thanks for your comment.
Love quinoa since I took a whole grain class a few years ago and learned about it and other super grains. Red, white and black are all yummy. Great hub!
Hello KoffeeKlatch Gals,
Am certain that you will find this scrumptious quinoa side dish to your liking. Thanks for the comment.
Peggy, your recipes look and sound delicious. Rated up, useful and bookmarker. I have to try it.
Hello toknowinfo,
I think that you will like this refreshing and tasty quinoa side dish. Ingredients can be altered and suited to one's taste. Let me know if you like it after trying it. Thanks!
I am always looking for new and interesting ways to make quinoa. Thanks for sharing these recipes. Bookmarked, and voted up and useful.
Hi Randy Behavior,
If you try my recipe for a scrumptious quinoa side dish, please let me know what you think of it. Personally, I could eat a bowl of it and call it a meal. I love it and it is so refreshing. Thanks for the comment.
Have some in the freezer... was looking for something new to do with it. Thanks.
Hi Billy,
Go happy to hear that you are now enjoying Quinoa. Be sure and freeze it between uses as that will keep it fresh. Did you try this specific recipe or try others? Thanks for the comment.
Thanks to you introducing Quinoa to me I have eaten it quite often with it's health benefits and your great recipes got me going - thanks.
Hi Tony,
Hope you can find some quinoa. If you like couscous, you are sure to like quinoa. Reminds me...I need to make something using quinoa soon...perhaps I'll incorporate it into some homemade soup.
Thanks for this very tasty looking recipe. I had not heard of qinoa until a fellow-Hubber (I can't remember who it was) wrote about it some time ago. I have still not seen it in any shops around here, but will look out for it as we are all great lovers of couscous.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Love and peace
Tony
Hello Sa`ge,
This particular quinoa dish is really refreshing and good. Since you love quinoa, I know you will like this one. Thanks for the comment.
Thanks for the recipe. I am going to make it. I love quinoa this sounds so good. thanks again. :D
Hi Rochelle,
I remember the days when I had a huge garden and gave probably about 85% of the veggies away to other people beyond what I froze and canned. Those were fun days! Now I have little space that has enough sunlight hours and primarily grow herbs. Keep trying a few other veggies but rarely get enough results for the effort. You are fortunate to be able to grow your own vegetables even if this last crop was not up to par.
Glad that you liked the quinoa recipe. Bet that you'll find numerous other ways to use it.
Yes I have done veggie gardening for years-- this year the weather was erratic and the crop not as good as usual-- meaning I didn't have to beg people to take the excess.
Still have a few things going. The yellow grape tomatoes volunteered.
I really liked your recipe. I will be using more quinoa, for sure.
Hi Rochelle,
What you have done with your quinoa sounds good. I also use it in homemade soups and it works well. Sounds like you grow your own vegetables?
I bought a bag of quinoa a couple of weeks ago and, after reading this, just put a well-rinsed cupful with water in my rice cooker. (The package said it could be cooked like this.)
I have almost the same ingredients you used-- have yellow grape tomatoes and red bell pepper, blood orange vinegar instead of lemon, and fresh parsley instead of mint. I think it will be a nice side dish for a hot day.
Hello irenemaria,
Happy to hear that you enjoyed this hub about using my recipe for quinoa. It is really tasty and good for one to eat. Will check out your daughter's recipe. Thanks!
Such nice hub! Your own photos is apreciated a lot. I will show this to my daughter. She will love it!
Here is one of her dishes - have a look:
Hi Nolimits Nana,
I've not yet tried the black quinoa but know that I would like it from your description. Will head on over to your quinoa hub now to see what you prepared. Thanks!
I find the black quinoa takes a bit more time to cook, and has a very slightly nuttier flavor. Love using quinoa - check out my latest hub, http://hubpages.com/hub/Quinoa-for-Breakfast, for other delicious ways to use quinoa.
Hello Ellimac Ymac,
Please let me know how you like it. I have not yet tried the black quinoa so have no idea if there is a flavor difference. Thanks!
Looks delicious. I just bought my first bag of quinoa, but I bought black quinoa. We don't have Whole Foods or Costco here so I got it while I was out of town. Your post has inspired me to make it tomorrow!
Hi billyaustindillon,
Am sure you will like using quinoa as it is so user friendly in many recipe applications. The recipes on the bag if purchased at Costco sound good. Haven't tried them yet...but plan to do so.
Thanks Peggy I am not familiar with Quinoa and will seek it out next time I am in Costco or Wholefoods - this recipe sounds perfect.
Hi Hubbin4V12,
This quinoa side dish IS really simple and delicious. Hope you like it as much as we do. Had some today as a matter of fact! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
Uber useful, simple and looks delicious. I will definitely try it out, thanks for the tips.
Hi habee,
I'll bet that you could come up with all kinds of uses for quinoa! I'm certainly glad that we purchased it. It will now become a staple in our food pantry. Thanks for the comment.
Hi Pamela99,
You are most welcome. Once you get some quinoa you will discover many different uses. Hope that you enjoy this side dish recipe. We really find it to be good and refreshing.
This sounds great! Thanks for the idea!
Peggy, I have never had this but I would like to try it as it looks good to me. Thanks for a good recipe.
Hi Rochelle,
Couscous is a grain made from durum wheat and is actually smaller than quinoa. Cooks almost instantly. Just pour boiling water over it and cover with saran wrap. A few minutes later (about 5)...fluff it with a fork and flavor with whatever one wishes.
There is a pasta shaped like rice.
I'll bet that quinoa is good baked into bread. Thanks for the comment.
I hope it becomes more widely available-- I've had bread made with it. Your recipe looks very good, and your photos are beautiful.
Isn't couscous more like pasta?
Hello Pollyannalana,
Are you familiar with a grain called couscous? It would be somewhat similar.
Quinoa supposedly has a slightly nutty flavor but it really takes on the flavors of what is added to it. In this side dish that I have presented, the vegetables and mint flavors predominate. When I add it to soups in place of rice or noodles...again it is flavored by the soup. It is a wonderful healthful alternative grain to be used in many dishes...both sweet or savory. Hope that this helps to answer your question.
I think looking turning other peoples recipes is a great idea, at first I did it not having an ingredient and found out many recipes can be your own, I am looking for the Quinoa, saw another recipe here with it too. What does it taste familiar to?
Hi Research Analyst,
I'm making some cold salads up ahead of time for a lunch I plan to have for some friends. This Quinoa side dish (or salad) is one of them. Everyone that has tasted it so far has liked it. It will be one of several choices served buffet style...so they can take as much or as little as they wish. Thanks for the visit and comment.
Such beautiful side dishes, that make any picnic grand
Hi Micky Dee,
We had heard of quinoa but had never paid much attention to it. Now we love it and incorporate it into things like homemade soups, etc. Think it is about time to have more of this quinoa salad! Thanks for your interest.
I've heard of this but haven't tried it. This hub helps!
Hello Deerwhisperer,
Quinoa has been around for thousands of years and was very important to the Andean peoples living in Bolivia, Columbia, Chile and Peru. It lost favor through the years thinking that it was simply a poor person's food. The health benefits have been discovered and a resurgence of interest is now taking place and more and more people are discovering its many uses. Thanks for your comment and interest in Quinoa. If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it.
Looks and sounds great. Can you tell me more about Quinoa, like what it is and where it originated. I've never heard of it before.
Hello Corin,
Happy to have shared this scrumptious Quinoa side dish recipe with you. Add it to soups and experiment with it. I think you'll be pleased. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
I knew what was Quinoa, but I didn't know how to use it. I'm going to give it a try. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi Catlyn,
Let me know what you think of this Quinoa recipe after you give it a try. It is refreshing and keeps well in the refrigerator. Thanks for the comment. The digital camera is getting quite a workout these days! :-)
Thanks Peggy for sharing this! I will be trying it for sure! I like how you used all of your own original photos too!
Hi oscillationatend,
This quinoa recipe is good and this grain can be used in so many different ways. I have also used it in homemade soups with good results. I'll bet that K@ri would like this!
I'll check this out. K@ri was on a raw food diet before I met her..haha, maybe she'll convert me.
Peggy W 3 months ago
Hello L.L. Woodard,
I believe that you will become a fan of using quinoa in many different ways after you give it a try. I love it in soups! Thanks for your comment and the sharing of this hub with others.