Sprouted Black Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Purée and Salsa Cruda
Posted in support of Meatless Monday..
“Quinoa (KEEN-wah), the ancient grain of the Incas, has been cultivated in the Andean highlands of South America for over 7000 years.
It was of great nutritional importance in pre-Columbian Andean civilizations, being secondary only to the potato, and was followed in importance by maize. In contemporary times, this crop has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (12%–18%), making it a healthful choice for vegetarians and vegans.
Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous.”
With the addition of fresh, raw and roasted vegetables, this whole-food dish is a nutritionally complete, satisfying meal..
Sprouted Black Quinoa with Roasted Red Pepper Purée and Salsa Cruda
For 2 servings
1/2 cup black quinoa* soaked overnight in 1/2 cup filtered water
1 red bell pepper, seeded
2-3 plum tomatoes
2 scallions
2 cloves garlic
2 green chilies, seeded
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
extra virgin olive oil
*Black quinoa is available in Austin at Wheatsville Co-op
Thoroughly rinse the quinoa and gently boil in 1/2 cup filtered water (1 cup if un-soaked) until tender, about 15 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile, split, seed and roast 1 large red bell pepper and 2 small green chilies (adjust quantity according to your taste). Roasting introduces a mild smokiness and adds complexity to the flavor. Set aside.
Chop scallions, garlic, chilies, parsley and 1/2 of the tomatoes (this is the salsa cruda) and toss with quinoa and olive oil. Allow to stand 10 minutes to combine flavors, then season with coriander seeds, salt and pepper.
Puree the red peppers in a food processor with 1 peeled and seeded plum tomato and a tablespoon of olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper and strain if desired.
Ladle pepper puree on a plate with a mound of quinoa. Serve with a field green salad if desired.
Unlike wheat or rice (which are low in lysine), quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it an unusually complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA’s Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration manned spaceflights.
matt said,
August 3, 2009 at 1:03 am
Your iron skillet and cheap camera have done you proud – this looks amazing.
Ren said,
August 3, 2009 at 7:01 am
Thanks a lot, Matt!
Annie said,
August 3, 2009 at 1:32 am
I was going to say what Matt did. Cheap camera, great pictures. This looks like a fabulous meal! I can’t wait to try it.
Ren said,
August 3, 2009 at 7:05 am
Thank you very much, Annie!
Diana said,
August 3, 2009 at 1:38 am
Wow, gorgeous photo and awesome recipe. I LOVE quinoa!
Ren said,
August 3, 2009 at 7:06 am
Me too! Thank you, Diana!
Jenny said,
August 3, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Another beauty! I LOVE the colors. And of course color = nutrients.
Ren said,
August 3, 2009 at 12:33 pm
So true about the colors! As amazing a food as quinoa already is, the black variety is apparently even more nutritious than the red or white. All varieties are now being organically grown in Colorado.
Thank you, Ma’am! :-)
vasilia said,
August 3, 2009 at 3:24 pm
What a beautiful, colorful meal! Not sure I’ve ever seen black quinoa before but I’m sure I’ll be able to find it. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Can’t wait to try it.
Ren said,
August 3, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Thank you!
I hadn’t seen the black variety before either- I found it at Wheatsville co-op in Austin this past weekend. Its really good.