Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled & chopped
3/4 cup uncooked Quinoa
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon of finely chopped Thyme
1 Teaspoon ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon of cayenne pepper or 1/2 jalapeno pepper finely diced without seeds unless you want it very hot.
kosher salt & pepper to taste (a pinch)
1 cup of frozen corn kernels
1 can of drained black beans or any beans you love, can even combine them
1/2 chopped fresh cilantro for garnish or parsley
Preparation
Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan & sauté the onions until translucent. Then add 1/2 chopped red pepper, sauté until soft, & add finely chopped garlic until fragrant –do not brown the garlic or it will be too bitter.
2.In a separate pan sauté about 8-10 shiitake mushrooms in butter & oil & add kosher salt and pepper to taste, & chopped parsley. Make sure you wipe the mushrooms with a paper towel and chop the stems, and slice the mushrooms in half-moon shapes.
3.In a separate pot, boil 1 1/2 cups of low sodium chicken stock and add 3/4 cup of Quinoa. Cover and reduce heat, & simmer about 20 minutes, or until Quinoa absorbs all the liquid. It has a nutty kind of crunchy taste.
To serve: Combine the drained black beans, corn kernels, & the shiitake mushrooms, peppers, onion & garlic sauté & mix with the Quinoa and garnish with either chopped cilantro or parsley.
Enjoy this high protein meal and fill your body with bliss and nutrition! And remember you can any of your favorite vegetables, or even chicken or fish to your Quinoa dish and any fresh herbs. It’s fun to play with. Even mint and plain yogurt might be nice for a cold summer salad! Also, chopped dill goes very well with Quinoa.
