Quinoa

One great ingredient to keep in your pantry is a box of quinoa. I've been using it as a side dish or a base instead of rice or pasta. What's quinoa?

It first caught my eye in the store a few years ago when it advertised itself as the "superfood of the Incan empire." This high-protien grain has been a staple in South America for thousands of years. Technically, it is the seed of the goosefoot plant.

This website best describes the taste:

The grain itself is soft and delicate and the tail is crunchy which creates and interesting texture combination and pleasant "crunch" when eating the grain. Quinoa has a fluffy consistency and a mild, delicate, slightly nutty flavor

Because of its health benefits it may be already in stock at your local supermarket. I had been buying boxes of quinoa from this company at the local Whole Foods. They also make quinoa pastas (pasta pagodas are the best!) which are great alternatives to regular pasta.

Last night's dinner started with a box of red quinoa from Alter Eco (also at Whole Foods). Then I took stock of what was left in the fridge from the box:

• most of a bunch of pea shoots (looking a little tired)
  
• 1/2 red onion
  
• 2 Nantes carrots
• 1 partially consumed box of fava beans from Trader Joes
  

So I picked off the leaves of the pea shoots and threw them into a salad spinner. Chopped and began sauteeing a half of red onion with some chopped garlic. I added sliced carrots and let them cook over low heat while the quinoa cooked. As the quinoa got close to ready, I added the fava beans and pea shoots. I threw in some black pepper, 2 tablespoons of pesto, a sprinkling of red pepper flakes, and some Parmesan cheese.

A salad of green lettuce from the box along with a store-bought avocado completed the meal.

Check out quinoa!

Pea Shoots

Something new arrived in the CSA box last week: a large bunch of pea shoots.

What's fun about the box is the way it forces you to learn about new ingredients.

Pea shoots are often compared to spinach in taste and I agree with that but the leaves are not as thick so they are more delicate. There is also a peppery flavor that adds some complexity.

I got online and did some research. Did you know pea shoots have their own web site? It seems they are quite the rage in the UK.

To prepare, pull the leaves off and toss them into a salad spinner. Rinse and spin and you're ready to use them. Compost the stems. Use the delicate purple flower (if present) as a garnish.

You have lots of options with pea shoots:

• It is often an ingredient in Asian stir-fry. Add at the last minute and cook until wilted.
  
• Stir into pastas and risotto to add some color.
• Stir into soups and cook until wilted.
• Use as your green in salads.

Since I was still in exploratory mode, I decided to start with the salad option. I combined seeded slices of the Minneola Tangelos from the box with a handful of washed leaves of pea shoots. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and some dressing created a great salad to finish the meal.