Quinoa Kate

My friend once joked that I could be nicknamed "Quinoa Kate" as I have an affinity for using the grain often. I think its one of those scenarios where I buy it at Costco and think how the hell am I going to use all of this stuff and it basically becomes a personal mission to whittle away at the three pound bag.

Quinoa is one of those things that I'm not necessarily in love with but I have to admit it is a win win: it cooks easily and does have some nutritional bang for the buck. Its protein content comes in handy for the littlest turds in the house that aren't really big meat eaters. I can make a batch in the rice cooker earlier in the week and spread the love across dishes.

A few of my go to quinoa dishes are listed below if you are looking for new ideas. Or maybe you already have seen these ideas and it helps to know that one of the laziest gals on planet Earth can execute the dishes. I don't really have exact measurements except for baking the muffins. Eyeball the rest.

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Quinoa Caprese Salad
Mix a couple cups of cooked and cooled quinoa with some freshly diced tomatoes, some fresh basil and little chunks of mozzarella (if you're classy like me, you'll dice up one or two sticks of the kids' string cheese and call it a day). Toss it all with some olive oil, salt, pepper and a few dashes of balsamic vinegar.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad
Toss a few cups of cooked quinoa with a can of rinsed/drained black beans, a cup of corn niblets, a diced bell pepper, a cup of diced grapes and a couple tablespoons of olive oil and some seasonings like a teaspoon of cumin and salt and pepper to taste. A splash of red wine vinegar and some lime juice also brighten this up, but I am usually too lazy to add those things and it tastes good just the same. This is a great one to make ahead the previous night and store in the fridge for a party.

Quinoa for Anders
Take some cooked quinoa and mix in some pesto. Recipe complete. Also handy in depleting 20 ounce jar of pesto purchased at Costco, another whittling mission.

Quinoa Muffins
2 c of cooked and cooled quinoa
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c all purpose flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/2 c mix ins (I usually chop up some dark chocolate chunks, but you could probably use craisins or other typical mix ins) 
1/4 c canola or vegetable oil
3/4c buttermilk (I just use regular milk and let it sit with 1-2 tbsp of vinegar for a few minutes)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla 

Mix the dry stuff (including quinoa) in a large bowl. Mix the wet stuff in a smaller bowl. Combine wet into the larger bowl with the dry stuff. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes in a lined muffin pan. Makes 12 muffins.


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We are lucky that one of the grocery stores in town as rows and rows of powerhouse grains in bulk bins. I think I may try some Amaranth next with similar recipes and see how it goes. Wish me luck!