I saw this recipe in our recipe section a few weeks ago and it brought back a lot of memories from my first year of living in Portland. It was also my first year working at Bob’s Red Mill and my first year as a vegetarian. This was a recipe that I threw together a lot when I was struggling with how to cook tofu in a way that would appeal to my husband. I had recently discovered quinoa and wanted to use it in place of white rice. After all, I was hip-deep in learning about the benefits of whole grains and quinoa was quickly becoming my favorite grain (still is, to this day). Somewhere along the line, this recipe fell out of rotation. It’s back on the menu tonight, for sure.

At the time, I just added cubed tofu. I really didn’t know much about tofu and have learned a lot over the last few years. You can use baked tofu or fried tofu if you are not fond of plain tofu. You could also use tempeh or seitan in place of the tofu for a different protein, while still keeping it meatless. The truth is, though, that you really don’t need any protein in this dish at all- the quinoa provides all that you need.

Peanut Sauce Vegetable Stir Fry with Tofu

• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1 small head Broccoli, chopped
• 1 small Red Bell Pepper, chopped
• 5 medium Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 package Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
• 1/2 cup Hot Water
• 1 Tbsp Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce*
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter
• Cayenne Pepper (season to taste)
• 3 cups cooked Organic Quinoa Grain

Directions

Quinoa: In medium saucepan, bring 2 cups water to boil. Add 1 cup Quinoa Grain, return to boil. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, fluff, and let stand 5-10 minutes.

Stir Fry: Heat oil in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Sauté broccoli, pepper, mushrooms, and tofu for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine peanut butter, hot water, vinegar, soy sauce, and cayenne pepper. (Don’t worry if sauce is not entirely blended, heat will melt the peanut butter into a smooth texture when added to wok.)

Pour peanut sauce over vegetable-tofu mix. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and crisp. Serve over quinoa! Makes 4 servings.

* For a gluten free version make sure to use wheat free soy sauce, wheat free tamari or Braggs liquid aminos.

Read more about this amazing grain at World’s Healthiest Foods.

One of our very favorite recipes, Quinoa Salad.

We have been blessed in Portland with a fairly cool summer this year, unlike many of you. While I personally, would love a few more really hot days, many of you are wishing for a break in the heat. Nothing makes an evening more miserable than turning on the oven or slaving over the stove making a hot dinner. We have some great recipes for grain-based salads that hit the spot when served cold and provide a filling meal on those hot nights. Each of these can be made ahead in the morning when it’s still cool in the house. Pair these with grilled vegetables and protein of your choice for a complete meal that will be sure to satisfy.

Here are my favorites. We have many, many more on our website, here.

• Bulgur Asparagus Salad (v)
• Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad (v) (gf)
• Triticale and Roasted Eggplant Salad with Dill (v) [Note: you could use wheat berries, spelt berries or brown rice if triticale is hard to come by (which it probably is).]
• Couscous Salad with Walnuts and Feta Cheese
• Szechwan Peanut Salad (v) (gf- if you use a gf soy sauce)
• Zesty Quinoa Salad (v) (gf)
• Quinoa Salad (hazelnuts, currants, green onions) (v) (gf)
• Spelt and Edamame Salad [Note: you can use wheat berries or brown rice if spelt berries are hard to come by; use brown rice to make this gluten free.]

(v) = Vegan
(gf) = Gluten Free

Joan shows us how to make Quinoa Blueberry Pancakes- her preferred race day breakfast.

A long time favorite at Bob’s Red Mill, these vegetarian wraps can stand on their own as appetizers or pair them with roasted fava beans and this great tomato salad recipe from Jamie Oliver for a truly Italian dinner. These do take a little more time in the kitchen, but they are well worth it. Cheers!

Tuscan Quinoa Radicchio Wraps

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1-1/2 cups Water
• 1-1/2 cups cooked, rinsed and drained Cannellini Beans
• 4 Plum Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup Black Olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cup Red Onion, chopped
• 1 small fresh Fennel Bulb, trimmed and chopped
• 1/4 cup Pine Nuts, lightly toasted
• 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large fresh Lemon, juiced and grated zest
• 1 Shallot, minced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 3 heads Radicchio, leaves separated into “cups”
• 1 to 2 cups fresh Basil Leaves

Directions

Place quinoa into a large saucepan and dry toast over medium heat just until a few grains begin to pop. (Not necessary to wash Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa Grain because it is pre-washed).

Add water, bringing to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all the liquid. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 10 minutes, then fluff lightly with a fork.

Place cooked quinoa into a mixing bowl with beans, tomatoes, olives, onion, fennel and pine nuts.

Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, and minced shallot until well blended. Add to mixing bowl with quinoa mixture, tossing gently to blend. Season as desired with salt and pepper.

Spoon mixture into a small bowl; place on a large platter with radicchio leaves and basil. To eat, spoon quinoa mixture into radicchio leaf cups; top as desired with basil leaves, rolling the radicchio leaves to close (serve with plenty of napkins).

Makes about 12 appetizer servings.

This weekend was spent rubbing elbows with some of our favorite food bloggers at the 2011 BlogHer Food conference in Atlanta, Ga. I’ll have a full recap for you guys tomorrow, but I wanted to share a dish we served at BlogHer Food to inspire you for Meatless Monday. This salad is one of our favorite quinoa dishes and was a HUGE hit with our fellow food bloggers. Serve this as a main dish or a side to your favorite veggie burger and grilled vegetables!  If you want to take it to the next level, add some crumbled feta or blue cheese.

Quinoa Salad

Contributed by Executive Chef Pascal Sauton

• 2 cups Quinoa Organic Grain
• 1/2 cup crushed Oregon Hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/4 cup minced green onions
• 1/4 cup dry black currants, soaked in warm water then drained
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

To cook Quinoa: Boil 4 cups of water; add Quinoa and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain in a strainer, then spread Quinoa on a cookie sheet and let cool at room temperature. Do not rinse.

After Quinoa has cooled, place in a bowl, add the remaining ingredients and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 10 Servings.

Quinoa Salad by Chef Pascal Sauton is one of our long standing favorite recipes (link below).

Our friends at the Whole Grains Council kicked off 2010 with their clever Grain of the Month Calendar, a plan to honor an individual grain each month of the year. March is Quinoa month and we thought it might be a good time for a refresher course on the nutritional powerhouse known as quinoa.

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-WA) is a high protein grain cultivated by the Incan tribes of the Andes mountains in South America. A traditional staple of the Incan diet, quinoa was known as the mother of all grains or chisaya mama. Because the native peoples of South America held the grain in such high regards, it was scorned by Spanish conquerers and fell into obscurity until a revival of the grain in the 1970s.

Lucky for us that the grain did find its way into the kitchens of 1970s America. Not only is it delicious, but quinoa has a short cooking time which sets it apart from many whole grains. Unlike many other whole grains, quinoa cooks in just 15 minutes! This tiny , gluten-free grain delivers all of the essential amino acids and is a good source of dietary fiber, phosphorus and iron.  People often talk about the bitter saponins in the seed coat of quinoa. Bob’s Red Mill quinoa has been pre-washed to remove this bitter coating. There are other brands that are not pre-washed, so be sure to check the label before consuming or you’ll be unpleasantly surprised. When cooked, quinoa is light and fluffy and has a very unique look. If you look very closely, you can see a lighter ring attached to the grain- this is quite simply the germ. It looks a little bit worm-like and is most noticeable on the black and red quinoa, but rest assured this is normal.

You can almost make out the little golden circles in this picture. These circles are the germ of the grain.

I’ve noticed quinoa on the menu at several of our local restaurants and in deli salads at places like Whole Foods- next time you see that funny q-word, see if you can sample some, you might just fall in love with this tiny grain.

If you’re not sure what to do with quinoa, we have some fabulous recipes on our website and you can get more info (we particularly liked their fun facts) and recipes for quinoa from the Whole Grains Council.

Here are some of our favorite recipes using quinoa:

Quinoa Salad (Pascal Sauton)
Quinoa Taboule
Roasted Winter Vegetables with Quinoa
Tuscan Quinoa Radicchio Wraps
Black Bean, Corn and Quinoa Salad