Sunday, February 12, 2012

Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds


Quinoa, which is used like a grain but is really a seed, can be found at natural foods stores and many supermarkets. 368 calories; 11 g protein; 19 g fat; 44 g carb; 7 g fiber.
  • Prep Time  15 minutes
  • Total Time  35 minutes
  • Yield   Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients
    1. 1/4 cup slivered almonds
    2. 1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
    3. 4 teaspoons olive oil
    4. 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
    5. 2 garlic cloves, minced
    6. 2 scallions, thinly sliced
    7. 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
    8. 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
    9. 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
    10. 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
    11. 1 large celery stalk, diced
    12. 1 lime, halved
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
  2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
  3. Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.
  4. Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into two containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad, if desired. Serve with additional lime wedge and thyme, if desired.

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