Warm nights, simple cooking

by naturopath Sandra Villella

One of my sisters returned from a health retreat singing the praises of quinoa (pronounced keenwah). I’d heard of it but never cooked it before. Quinoa isn’t a true grain cereal, but rather a pseudocereal – more like a seed. It’s treated as a grain in cooking, is gluten-free and has a lovely nutty taste.

I first cooked quinoa as a delicious porridge made with soy milk and stewed cinnamon pears, topped with almonds and seeds.

This recipe is a variation of a traditional tabouleh using quinoa instead of burghul (cracked wheat). It’s an easy nutritious meal which can be thrown together using a variety of cooked and raw vegetables.

I’ve chosen beetroot because it’s one of the richest foods in antioxidants, and carrots as they are an excellent source of betacarotene and taste great with fresh mint.

Nutritional value

Unlike other grains, quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids making it a complete protein (helping us to feel more satisfied, providing sustained energy and helping to decrease sweet cravings). Black and white varieties of quinoa are available; the black is crunchier and has a stronger taste – a combination of the two varieties can be mixed together.

Ingredients 1½ cups quinoa 3 cups water Bunch baby beetroot cut into eighths 2 carrots cut into sticks 2 sticks celery finely chopped 4 spring onions finely chopped	4-6 tomatoes chopped ½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley ½ cup chopped fresh mint Good splash red wine vinegar 2 teaspoons olive oil
Method Cook quinoa using absorption method on low heat (10–15 minutes). Steam beetroot for 10 minutes then add carrots for a further five minutes. Add red wine vinegar, oil and mint to cooked vegetables while still hot. Season to taste. Chop raw ingredients and add to cooked quinoa. Add cooked, dressed vegetables and toss through. Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side dish.	Variations For a heartier meal, serve with cooked fish, meat or chicken. Cooked chickpeas or pinenuts are a good vegetarian option. Leftovers are great for lunch with tinned fish.

Content updated November 29,  2007