Another Quinoa Side Dish

I’ve been on a bit of a quinoa kick lately.  You can’t get too much of a good thing, right?  Quinoa is a versatile and delicious whole grain; I especially love it because it’s a great protein source.  That’s the first question people ask when they learn I limit my animal products:  But where do you get your protein?  As if animal foods are the only foods on the planet to provide protein.  Trust me, if you eat a variety of whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes, you will probably easily get more protein than you need. But I digress.  Here’s  a simple little quinoa side dish that can compliment a variety of meals.  Think of the meals you’d usually have a rice side dish and swap in this one.  It’s tasty, filling, and relatively easy to make.

Quinoa Chickpea Pilaf

A tasty quinoa based side dish

• Author: Healthy Happy Mama
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped finely
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons  ground coriander
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups cooked or 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups vegetable broth

Instructions

1. In a small stockpot over medium heat, let the coconut oil melt.  Add the onions and saute for about 7 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes.
2.  Add the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and salt and saute for another minute.
3. Add the quinoa to the pot and saute for 2 minutes.
4. Add the chickpeas and broth; cover and bring to a boil.  Once it is boiling, lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.  Fluff with a fork and serve.

Notes

adapted from Veganomicon

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 156
• Sugar: 2.8g
• Sodium: 384mg
• Fat: 6.3g
• Carbohydrates: 20.8g
• Protein: 5g

Keywords: Healthy side dish

There was plenty left over so I could have it for lunch today.  Paired with a small salad of arugula+one small sliced carrot+sliced celery+a few slices avocado+sesame seeds+sliced almonds+drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette dressing and it was an immensely satisfying lunch.