Quinoa, how I love thee! I could write sonnets and love songs to quinoa. It’s the perfect grain- it cooks up quick, packs a nutritional punch the likes of which are rarely seen, and tastes pretty darn great too! Truth be told? It’s not even technically a grain (shhh! don’t tell!). Quinoa is actually a seed. I’m not one to quibble over the details and for all intents and purposes it might as well be a grain.

Quinoa takes a back seat in this recipe, simply bolstering the protein and adding some structure to the filling, but it’s an easy way to make a quick and classy vegetarian entree. If pine nuts are priced too high (seems like they just keep getting more and more expensive), use any chopped nut you prefer or try with sunflower seeds. This recipe actually comes from our cookbook, not the one we’re giving away today.

Portobello Stuffed with Quinoa and Pine Nuts

• 6 large Portobello Mushroom Caps
• 1 small Onion, finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup blanched, drained, squeezed and chopped Spinach
• 2 to 3 Garlic cloves, minced
• Kosher Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
• 2 cups cooked Quinoa (see package directions)
• 1 cup Ricotta Cheese*
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan*
• 1/4 cup Pine Nuts

Preheat the broiler and cook the mushrooms for about 5 to 8 minutes, turning once, until tender. Drain the mushrooms, pat dry and set on a baking sheet, gill-side up.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.

Sauté the onion in the olive oil until tender, then add the spinach and garlic, season with salt and pepper, mix well and cook just to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the quinoa, ricotta and Parmesan. Mound 1/2 cup of this mixture on each of the prepared mushroom caps, sprinkle with pine nuts, season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

* To make this recipe vegan, use mashed silken tofu mixed with a dash of lemon juice in place of the ricotta. Or try this recipe for making vegan ricotta from cashews. Substitute parmesan with a vegan variety (such as Parma! ), make your own or simply leave it out.

Now for a giveaway that most certainly does NOT put quinoa in the back seat. (Nobody puts quinoa in the corner! Sorry, just couldn’t help myself.) Quinoa 365 by Patricia Green and Carolyn Hemming contains over 170 recipes featuring quinoa for everything from breakfast to dessert. Recipes include beautiful photos and have designations for gluten free, vegetarian and kid-friendly.  Filled with recipes for everything from Italian Wedding Soup to Quinoa Temaki, this book also includes a slew of tips for how much dry quinoa will yield, sprouting quinoa and how to cook quinoa in the slow cooker.

How to enter: leave a comment on this post with some fun fact about quinoa. We could all gain from learning more about this special seed (ha- see, beat you to that one!) then be sure to click on “I DID THIS” in the application below. This is what enters you into the drawing, but don’t worry- I check all winners to be sure they complied with the rules for entry. In addition to this lovely book, I’ll also kick in a package of quinoa to get you started. Contest runs until 12:01 on 12/5.

As part of my role at Bob’s Red Mill, I field all sorts of requests for product- from magazines and food writers to professional athletes and movies. I have never gotten a request for samples from a musician, until I met Naomi LaViolette.

Naomi contacted me a few months ago to let us know that she had used our organic quinoa in her album. Evidently, her team was looking for a specific shaker sound and nothing was producing the right noise. Heading back to the kitchen, she told me, her producer had a moment of inspiration when he spotted our bag of quinoa on his shelves. It turned out that quinoa was just the sound they were seeking!

Naomi uses quinoa in her song “Somewhere New to Stand” on her soon-to-be released self-titled album.  Her music falls somewhere beautiful between folk and jazz. Naomi is one of many musicians who hails from Portland and we think she’s really something special. Check out her website and music- we hope you think it’s as special as we do.

Quinoa? Pumpkin? Chocolate Chips? Yes, please! These delightful pumpkin-y treats carefully walk the line between muffin and cupcake. Whole wheat flour and cooked quinoa boost the nutritional value, while chocolate chips turn these muffins into a decadent treat. We just love these and think your family will too. Enjoy!

• 1 ¼ cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
• 1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¾ cup Quinoa (cooked and drained)
• 2 Eggs
• ¾ cup Unsweetened Canned Pumpkin
• ½ cup Buttermilk
• ¼ cup Safflower Oil (or melted butter)
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• ½ cup Chocolate Chips

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°. Oil or line a 12-cup muffin tin or 24-cup mini muffin tin.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Add the quinoa, separating the grains with a fork to distribute evenly.

In another bowl, beat the eggs, then add the pumpkin, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.

Gradually stir into the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the batter into muffin tins.

For regular sized muffins, bake for 30 minutes, or until muffins are browned around the edges and a tester comes out clean. Cook the mini-muffins about 15 minutes.

Let the muffins rest for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool.

For an alternate version, try this one from Lorna Sass.

Some of our sponsored cyclocross racers got together to make this awesome video. Don’t they look great in their Bob’s Red Mill kits? Here we have Joe Czerwonka, Mo Bruno-Roy and Marne Smiley showing you how easy it is to make Quinoa Salad. You can find the full recipe here.

My family came up with quinoa dish and most of its flavour comes from the dressing. Made with my grandmother’s homemade garlic butter, the dressing evens and rounds off the few ingredients to make their flavours come alive for a filling and satisfying meal. Not only that, it can be quickly and easily pulled together in practically no time.

Broccolini, Corn, and Shrimp Quinoa with Olive Oil Lemon Garlic Dressing

Serves 4-6

• 2 ½ cups Quinoa
• 4 ½ cups Water
• 1 bunch Broccolini, sliced (including stems)
• 1 tin Corn, sugar- and salt-free
• About 1/2 (400 grams/14-ounce) bag frozen, cooked Shrimp, thawed
• Olive Oil Lemon Garlic Dressing (recipe follows)

Put the quinoa in a medium or large pot with the water and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, covered. As soon as the quinoa is cooked, remove pot from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork. (You may also cook the quinoa in a rice cooker, if preferred.)

Meanwhile, steam the broccolini for about 15-20 minutes, or until bright green and tender. (My family uses an electric steamer for this, but you can also do this on the stove top. Place the broccolini in a steamer basket and fill a pot with some water; the water shouldn’t touch the steamer basket or broccolini. Bring the water to a simmer and cover, steaming broccolini until done.)

Gently stir the steamed broccolini into the cooked quinoa and add the corn. Stir in the cooked and thawed shrimp last.

Serve the quinoa with the dressing and serve. Enjoy!

Olive Oil Lemon Garlic Dressing

I usually make this dressing by feel, so these measurements are only approximate.

• Garlic butter (recipe follows for homemade version)
• Olive oil
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put about 2 tablespoons garlic butter in a small vessel and add 4-6 tablespoons olive oil. Stir together with a fork until completely blended. Mix in a good squeeze of lemon juice, about 1-2 tablespoons. Adjust to taste.

Homemade Garlic Butter

This is how my grandmother makes garlic butter, and it is much stronger than store bought. Optionally, you may roast the garlic for a milder flavour. The addition of olive oil keeps the butter at a spreadable consistency, even straight from the fridge.

Using a head of garlic, peel garlic cloves and place in a food processor. Cover the cloves with olive oil and whiz until liquid. Add an equal amount of butter, adjusting to taste as needed or suited to personal preference. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Zoe of Z’sCupofTea started cooking and baking gluten-free, dairy-free, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) friendly foods for her brother recovering from autism when she was a teen, which eventually prompted her to start her blog where she shares her own recipes and those that she’s adapted from other sources including cookbooks and other food blogs with photos and videos. In addition to her blog, you can also follow her on Twitter (@zscupoftea) and be a fan on Facebook (www.facebook.com/zscupoftea).

You know the drill. It’s 5:30 pm, you’ve had a crazy day, you haven’t had a chance to think about dinner and your fridge is somewhat lacking in “grand inspiration.” Never fear. I have the perfect recipe for you!

I discovered (and tweaked) this delicious meatloaf on one such evening when searching for a recipe that would allow me to use up the bag of quinoa I had sitting in the back of my cupboard. Although we love quinoa, I was looking for “out of the box” ways to start using it. In this recipe, the quinoa is the replacement for the nutritionally lacking bread crumbs that typically find their way into meatloaf. Healthy, protein rich grains blended with lean ground turkey transforms this loaf into a light, yet perfectly comforting, easy mid-week meal.

I highly recommend pairing this meatloaf with some butternut squash for a fantastic intro into fall cuisine.

Quinoa Turkey Loaf

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Quinoa
• 1/2 cup Water or Chicken Broth
• 1 tsp Olive Oil
• 1 small Onion, chopped
• 1 large clove Garlic, chopped
• 1 (20 ounce) package Ground Turkey
• 1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 Tbsp Hot Pepper Sauce (I use Asian Garlic Chili Paste)
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Egg
• 1-1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp ground Black Pepper
• ¼ cup fresh Basil (optional)
• Spicy BBQ Sauce

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat an oven to 350° F (175° C).
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
4. Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, egg, salt, pepper and basil in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet.
5. Spread your favorite BBQ sauce over the top of the loaf
6. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 35-50 minutes, depending on how much you spread it out on the pan. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Melissa Haynes is owner (and baker) of the Nashville-based Joyful Cookie Company. Joyful Cookie Company is a gourmet cookie business that specializes in 100 % whole-grain, flourless cookies. Along with this adventure, Melissa is an avid runner and healthy-eating foodie.

This meal is always a favorite in my household — even with the former summer squash hater in the family. The layers of textures and flavors from the quinoa, wild rice, balsamic roasted squash and garlicky tomatoes all play nicely together, and make for a healthy late-summer meal. I love using a variety of tomatoes and summer squash for this dish; the various shapes and rainbow of colors available at local farmer’s markets create a gorgeous, kid-friendly presentation.

If I know that I will be pressed for time the night that I’m making this, I’ll go ahead and cook the grains up a few days ahead of time (store in the fridge or freezer) and reheat them in the microwave once the veggies come out of the oven. Leftovers from the finished dish are just as good for lunch the next day, too.

I hope this meal is as big a hit with your family as it is with mine!

Roasted Tomato and Summer Squash Pilaf
Source: Heather Sage
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Serves: 4 as a main dish, 8 as a side

INGREDIENTS

Wild Rice:

• 3/4 cup (112 grams) Bob’s Red Mill Wild Rice, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups Water
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Roasted Vegetables:

• 2 pounds Tomatoes (cherry or firm regular-sized), preferably a mix of colors and varieties
• 2 pounds Summer Squash and Zucchini
• 2 tablespoons (28 grams) Balsamic Vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) Olive Oil
• 3 tablespoons (42 grams or about 1 bulb) Garlic, roughly minced

Quinoa:

• 1 cup (184 grams) Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa Grain, rinsed and drained in fine mesh strainer
• 3 cups Water
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

For Plating and Serving:

• 2 ounces crumbled Feta Cheese, plus more for serving
• Maldon Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Additional Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Cook Wild Rice:

In a small saucepan (2-quart), combine wild rice, water and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, uncovered. Once it reaches a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 45 minutes – 1 hour (the grains will be puffed (white interior of the rice is visible) and slightly chewy. Remove from heat, and strain just before serving if any water remains.

Prepare and Roast Vegetables:

Once the wild rice is at a simmer, arrange oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450°F. Line two, large rimmed baking sheets (preferably half sheet size, 18”x13”) with parchment paper; set aside.

Cut cherry tomatoes in half through the stem end, cube larger tomatoes into 1/2 – 1” pieces. Place cut tomatoes into the bowl of a salad spinner and whir them about to remove some of the seeds and excess liquid (feel free to skip this step if you don’t own a salad spinner). Transfer tomatoes into a large mixing bowl (3- or 4-quart).

Cut squash into 1/2” – 3/4” inch cubes and place in a large mixing bowl (3- or 4-quart).

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, gradually drizzle in olive oil until the vinaigrette is fully emulsified. Coat the squash with about 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette; toss the tomatoes with the remainder. Spread squash in a single layer on one of the baking sheets. On the other baking sheet, arrange the tomatoes in a single layer; sprinkle garlic evenly over the top.

Place squash on the upper third and the tomatoes on the lower third of the preheated oven. Roast vegetables for about 40-45 minutes, turning half way through — the squash will be lightly browned and tender, and the tomatoes will reduce into a chunky, sauce-like consistency.

Cook Quinoa:

Once the veggies are in the oven, start preparing quinoa.

In a 4-quart or larger pot, combine quinoa with water and salt and bring to a boil, uncovered. Continue to boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Transfer quinoa into a fine mesh strainer (the same one you rinsed it in before cooking), and rinse grains with cold tap water until chilled.

Rinse out pot and fill with one inch of water, bring to a boil. Place strainer with quinoa over water, cover with a clean flour sack towel and the lid (don’t worry if it’s not covered tightly, you just want something to help create a steamy environment). Steam the quinoa for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered and allow quinoa to rest for at least 5 minutes; fluff with a fork just before plating.

Plate and Serve:

Onto a large, heatproof platter, layer quinoa, wild rice, roasted vegetables and about 2 ounces of feta cheese (alternately, toss everything together in a large bowl). Serve immediately with additional cheese, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Heather Sage shares original, gluten-free recipes on her site A Sage Amalgam. As a native New Englander who now lives in the Silicon Valley (with a few stops in Ohio, North Carolina and Florida along the way), the recipes she creates are inspired by all the places she’s been and those she hopes to travel to in the future. With many years of home cooking under her belt, and techniques honed at a local community college, the recipes she writes may seem daunting, but they are absolutely suited to any skill level (her novice husband, David, tests most of them out).

It has been almost five years since I was diagnosis with a gluten allergy. At first I thought, how could it possibly be done? What will I eat? How will I enjoy family functions? I travel tons for work; will this still be manageable?

It took a few months to really hit my stride but in the process I learned a lot about myself, about what foods I really enjoyed (versus what were easy ‘go-to’ convenience foods) and also learned a new appreciation for anyone that has to deal with an allergy, intolerance or sensitivity to certain foods.

One of my favourite foods these days is quinoa. It’s quite easy to prepare, has a lot of versatility and is great when I need a take-along for a lunch or family function. This salad is particularly tasty – especially right now when there is an abundance of fresh veggies and herbs that you can add in. When I bring this to my parents for a BBQ, it is often one of the first things to go!

Gluten-Free Quinoa with Summer Fresh Veggies

• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa Grain
• 2 ¼ cups Water
• 2 Green Onions, finely chopped
• 4-inch Cucumber, diced
• 2 cups Cherry Tomatoes – red or yellow, doesn’t matter, halved
• Other add-ins depending on what is on hand and ripe for picking
•  1 Green, Red or Yellow Pepper, diced
• 1 small (3-4 inch) Zucchini, diced
• 1 cup Sugar Snap Peas, diced
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp each, chopped Parsley, Cilantro, Mint (and feel free to improvise here!)
• Juice of one Lemon (about 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice)
• 1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium-sized sauce pan, pour in quinoa and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 12 minutes.

Let the quinoa cool slightly.

In a small bowl, mix olive oil, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice.

In a large bowl, add quinoa, onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and other fresh veggies, along with parsley, cilantro, mint and other fresh herbs. Stir in the olive oil, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice dressing. Mix just enough to combine all ingredients. Season slightly with salt and pepper to taste.

This is best if you can let all the flavours mingle in the fridge for a few hours. It also keeps well for several days. I’ve portioned mine out and will be taking to work for lunch this week.

Enjoy!

PS – A small tip on the herbs. They keep great in the fridge and I like to put mine in a glass or cup of water (as you can see, it doesn’t have to be fancy) but it keeps the herbs bright and lively.

Trina Gallop

www.willcookforshoes.posterous.com

Julian shares one of his favorite recipes with us- Zesty Quinoa Salad. The original recipe is here, but we really like his twist on one of our favorite dishes. Enjoy!

Hi my name is Christen and I’m a quinoa addict.

This funny looking grain is actually a seed, a complete protein source and considered a super food. It’s as easy to cook as white rice and the flavor benefits far out weigh i’s counterpart any day.

My love affair with quinoa (pronounced like keen-wa) started over three years ago when I found out I was gluten intolerant. Searching for anything and everything that I could eat was a crucial quest at that time in order to “stay on the wagon”. I discovered how very versatile it could be, subbing in for a more nutritious rice, used as pasta, flour, the list could go on and on. Bob’s even has a few terrific cookbooks they offer like Quinoa 365 if you’re looking for more ideas.

Another great thing? My kids love it! I think because of it’s nutty flavor and fun look. It’s also not sticky like rice can get so it stays fluffy and has great texture.

The Quinoa and Mixed Veggie Salad recipe I’m sharing today is good standby to have in your arsenal of quick and healthy weeknight meals. It comes together in 20 minutes and can be served as a main dish for a meatless meal, or is a great compliment to some sautéed fish or barbequed chicken.

A couple other variations we’ve done is adding cooked black beans for more protein or golden raisins to add a sweet balance with the curry dressing. Use whatever veggies you have on hand, the key is to have some with the crunch factor (like the carrots and bell pepper).  Want to add some essential Omega 3’s? Grind up a tablespoon of  Bob’s Chia Seeds and add to the dressing.

If you’re worried that your kids would never eat a dish with this many vegetables, just give it a try. They may just surprise you. The more you present a variety of good-for-you foods, the easier it gets. Another trick is to make sure and dice the veggies extra small. I do this so my kids are less likely to try and pick them out. They just slip right in with each bite. We have to do what we can!

Make sure you come visit me over at life:styled, where every Monday I share a weekly menu that helps get you organized for your crazy week of school and work ahead.

Bon Appétit!

Quinoa and Mixed Veggie Salad

• 1 ½ cups Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa
• 3 cups Water
• 1 large Bell Pepper (or 3 small)
• 2 Tomatoes
• 3 small Carrots
• 1 Avocado
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• ¼ cup seasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Curry Powder
• 1 ½ tsp Salt
• ½ tsp fresh ground Pepper

Add the quinoa and water together in a pot over high heat. Bring to boil, reduce heat and  simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool.

In the meantime, finely dice the bell pepper, tomatoes, carrots and avocado. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the lemon juice, rice vinegar, olive oil, curry powder, salt and pepper. Wisk until well combined.

Mix the quinoa in a large bowl combined with the chopped veggies. Add dressing and toss to coat. Serve on a bed of lettuce.