Healthy, delicious, 100% plant-based, and nutritious. Plus, it's so easy and quick to make - even the quinoa is cooked right in the pot! Perfect weeknight dinner if you ask me. Ohh and the parsley cashew cream. So good!
If you are new to quinoa, it's a must try. Not only because it became a trendy, hyped food. I just love its nutty flavor. So much better than rice. Believe me. Though it is technically not a grain but a seed (hence its name pseudo grain), quinoa, pronounced - keen-wah - is a great wheat-free alternative to starchy grains.
There are three types: black, red and creamy white. While the three of them taste almost identically, I love to cook with the tricolor version for its added color effect.
With twice the protein content of rice or barley, quinoa is also a very good source of calcium, magnesium, and manganese. It also contributes useful levels of several B vitamins, vitamin E, and dietary fiber.
Unlike many other plant foods, quinoa provides complete protein meaning it got all 9 essential amino acids our body can not produce and has to get it through the food we eat. Making this pseudo-grain ideal for vegans and vegetarians.
One-pot Mexican Quinoa Topped With Parsley Cashew "Sour Cream"
INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3)
For the quinoa
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups chopped bell pepper, I used a mix of yellow and green
1 cup chopped zucchini
2 cups chopped tomatoes
Vegetable stock
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, I used tricolor
1.5 cup cooked kidney beans
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2-1 tsp chili powder or use chili paste instead
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 small avocado, cubed
For the cashew sauce
1/2 cup soaked cashews (soak for at least 4 hours, overnight is best)
1 cup fresh parsley
1 lime, juice only
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Salt and black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
- Soak cashews for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best. If you forgot you can also soak them in boiled water for 30-60 min.
- Heat cooking oil over medium to medium-high heat. Sauté onion for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, zucchini, bell pepper, cumin and chili powder and cook for one minute more before adding the quinoa, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and kidney beans. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until the liquid has soaked into the quinoa.
- Meanwhile, make the cashew sour cream. Add all cashew sauce ingredients to a blender and process until smooth, creamy consistency. Set aside in the fridge.
- When the quinoa is fully cooked, remove from heat. Divide over bowl or plates and top with avocado and cashew sour cream.
Bon Appétit
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PICTURE(s) TAKEN WITH FUJI X-M1
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