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5 Ways to Make Quinoa

June 22, 2011 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 17 Comments

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Quinoa. The ancient grain.

The protein grain.

The underutilized, but gaining in popularity grain.

The perfect gluten free alternative for many recipes (…like the parfait above. Use quinoa, not oats.) grain.

If you have not cooked with quinoa yet, I highly recommend it.  It is a bit more expensive, but if you know where to look (check out the best places to find quinoa and the best quinoa prices, too!), you can often get great deals on it!

So here’s my list…

For Breakfast

Berry Quinoa Parfait (pictured above)

Cinnamon Quinoa with Walnuts and Raisins

For Lunch

Quinoa and Black Bean Burritos

For Dinner

Mushroom Quinoa Pilaf

Chicken and Quinoa Waldorf Salad with Creamy Maple Vinaigrette

Curried Quinoa with Chicken and Peas (also known as “The meal in which Tyler licked his bowl, multiple times!”)

So that was 6 ways?! Not 5!

Will you forgive me! 😉

What’s your favorite way to prepare quinoa?! Would love to try out some new recipes and “mix-ins”!

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Filed Under: Quinoa Recipes

Comments

  1. Kandi says

    June 22, 2011 at 12:22 pm

    Thanks for this post! I recently picked some up at Jungle Jim’s and needed a few different ways to try it out. Can’t wait to see if one of mine licks the bowl too..haha! Tyler looks so cute!

    Reply
  2. Beth B says

    June 22, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    I recently tried quinoa and love it! I started with a simple recipe of onions, garlic,quinoa, and Parm cheese. I decided to try a new recipe not too long ago and you just happened to link to the Curried Quinoa with Chicken and Peas that very day…it was fate! I love that recipe & have passed the link on to several people for them to try it. The Quinoa with Black Bean Burritos looks great – I’m going to have to try that one next!

    Reply
    • Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom says

      June 22, 2011 at 4:05 pm

      Yeah Beth! Way to branch out…and thrilled to hear that you liked the curried quinoa! I appreciate you passing it on!

      Erin

      Reply
  3. Linda @ Linda's Lunacy says

    June 22, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    I just made quinoa last night for the first time. I liked it plain, and it was also good with the sauce from the Chicken Parm I made. I look forward to trying it in different dishes. The recipes you shared look great. Well, except for the mushrooms! lol

    Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy
    http://www.lindasluancy.com

    Reply
  4. Paula says

    June 22, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    I love quinoa in cold salads, and I also recently used cooked quinoa as part of the starter dough for whole wheat bread – it turned out SO soft and moist! The recipe is in Cynthia Lair’s recipe book, “Feeding the Whole Family,” one of my favorites.

    Reply
  5. Amanda says

    June 22, 2011 at 7:06 pm

    We are big fans of Quinoa. You once featured the price at Costco. Less than $10 for 4 lbs. It’s high in fiber and protein, which means it’s very good for vegetarians. I’m sure you appreciate it because it’s gluten-free. Here are a few additional ideas:

    Curried Cauliflower: http://eatlikearabbit.net/2011/05/10/curried-cauliflower-and-quinoa
    Bok Choy or Spinach: http://eatlikearabbit.net/2011/02/08/garlic-bok-coy-over-quinoa
    Quinoa Potato Pancakes: http://eatlikearabbit.net/2011/05/06/spinach-quinoa-potato-pancakes-recipe

    Reply
  6. KeriAnne says

    June 22, 2011 at 7:17 pm

    It’s also good cooked with chicken broth (instead of plain water), and then mixed with some diced, cooked chicken , and whatever veggies you like.
    I think I’m gonna have to try the Quinoa Potato Pancakes!

    Reply
  7. Johanna says

    June 22, 2011 at 8:34 pm

    A friend recently gave me this recipe. I LOVE it. Tastes like a Chipotle burrito. 🙂 http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-and-Tomato-Quinoa-238939

    Reply
  8. Heather B says

    June 23, 2011 at 12:59 am

    Well, we will clearly be trying the bowl licking recipe!! I love quinoa but haven’t done a lot with it yet. I’m always on the look out for some recipes that aren’t weird (aka totally over the edge health nut food). ha ha!!

    Reply
  9. brie. says

    June 23, 2011 at 4:18 am

    i’m not a huge fan of rice, i know, i’m weird. but i love quinoa, so i often substitute one for the other!

    Reply
  10. Vicky S says

    June 23, 2011 at 5:02 am

    My absolute favorite is this recipe. Quinua A La Jardinera (Peruvian Quinoa With Vegetables) http://bit.ly/kIB0B7

    Reply
  11. The Working Home Keeper says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:47 am

    Thanks for the recipe suggestions and for those posting ideas in the comment section! I’ve been looking for new ways to prepare quinoa.

    Mary Ellen
    The Working Home Keeper

    Reply
  12. Kim says

    June 23, 2011 at 9:40 am

    I loved your recipe for Mediterranean Chicken Quinoa! I have to make it again soon! I cant wait to try all of these recipes! Thanks!

    Reply
  13. Lori K says

    June 23, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    I couldn’t get to the chicken and peas recipe… I “404’d” when I clicked through the links…

    Reply
  14. Siri says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:19 pm

    Can you make up the quinoa the night before and then reheat it in the morning for breakfast? I’ve had a bag of it in my pantry for months… keep wanting to try it for a breakfast oatmeal substitute, but I never find I have 20 minutes of patience to wait for it to be ready!

    Reply
  15. Streetwear Clothes says

    December 12, 2011 at 12:43 am

    Never hear of quinoa before but they do look like couscous. I need to try this soon!

    Reply
  16. jessica says

    May 19, 2012 at 12:02 pm

    I love quinoa! My favorite recipe for it is quinoa and black beans with cilantro, but I have been also making stuffed peppers with quinoa, quinoa chili, and chicken and vegetable stir fry with quinoa turned out really good the other day. That curried chicken sounds good, might have to try that soon! Tonight it’s going to be minestrone with quinoa and wild rice, hopefully it turns out good.

    Reply

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