"Red" Quinoa

Over the last several years, quinoa has become one of the few grains that I eat.  Maybe because I like the way it fills me up without making me feel like I’m “full”, like I feel sometimes after eating a plate of pasta.  I love the simplicity of this dish and the combination of the bright green and  deep red from the beets.  And it incorporates some Autumn vegetables while still maintaining a light, citrusy taste from Summer.   

If you make a large batch of plain quinoa ahead of time, it’s much easier to whip up a few different dishes throughout the week relatively quickly.  I made this one in under 20 minutes.  Because quinoa is a complete protein, this can easily be served as a satisfying lunch or dinner.  I also used it as a delicious filling to wraps, the recipe for which I’ll be posting next…

1 T grapeseed oil

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

1 medium beet, peeled and chopped

2 c cooked quinoa

2 c chopped kale

sea salt and black pepper to taste

juice of ½ lemon

Add the oil to a heated Dutch oven then add the onion and beet and sautee for several minutes, until the onion is tender. 

Add the salt and pepper and kale.  Then add the quinoa and and a few tablespoons of water and cover the pan to let the quinoa heat through and the kale wilt.  Squeeze the lemon juice over the mixture and stir well.  Serve warm or cold.