Quinoa is one of those amazing healthy foods that I enjoy but nonetheless neglect when it comes to thinking up fun recipes. Lately, my grain experimentation has mainly included bulgur and farro, but I decided to fix that pronto. Quinoa is a seed, actually – not a grain, but you catch my drift…
Did you know?
- Quinoa is actually a seed, not a grain and related to the spinach family. It has been grown for centuries in South America, where it was a staple of the Incan diet.
- Quinoa is a great source of both protein and fiber. It contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It is also an excellent source of magnesium, copper, calcium, phosphorous and zinc.
- Quinoa is easily digested and gluten-free.
- It is sold in three varieties, white, red, and black. They are all nutritionally identical, with red having slightly more fiber
Anyway, I wanted to throw together some quinoa with nuts to make a filling dish that could compliment some tasty fish I picked up at the store. I was contemplating how best to put this all together when I had a brainwaive: Harissa! Yes, my new favorite condiment would be the perfect way to kick up some healthy quinoa. In case you’ve missed it, I’ve been on a bit of a harissa kick lately thanks to my friends at Mina Harissa, who send some some amazing spicy harissa to sample. I’ve been adding it to everything lately – potatoes, scrambled eggs and last week I made Red Lentil Cakes as well.
I decided to give the dish some Persian/Moroccan flavors: Garlic, lemon, parsley, and a host of fun spices like ginger, cinnamon and cumin. The result was a spicy, complex and filling dish that works as both a side and a main course. Last night, I made this with some fish and tonight I’m eating the leftovers for dinner. I am contemplating adding a fried egg on top with an extra drizzle of harissa.
Want more tasty quinoa recipes? Try some of my favorites:
- Quinoa Minestrone
- Quinoa Caprese Salad
- Quinoa Vegetable Pilaf
- Squash and Quinoa Chili
- Quinoa Sweet Potato Cakes
Pistachio Quinoa Pilaf with Harissa
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa (red or white)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cups of water or veggie broth
- 1-2 tbsp harissa (test for your spicy threshhold)
- ¼ cup parsley, washed and chopped
- ¼ cup shelled pistachios, chopped
- juice and zest of ½ lemon
- 1 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- In a medium pot, saute onion, garlic and carrot in olive oil on medium heat for 4-5 minutes
- Add quinoa and water
- Cover and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat to med-low and simmer until water is absorbed, 10-12 minutes
- When water is absorbed, stir in remaining ingredients and serve warm or cold
