We all love quinoa

Well, at least I love quinoa. I've only recently discovered it and have been purchasing it regularly. And (according to what I've heard from people around me and a quick search online) it has protein, eight whole grams per one cup cooked. That's pretty awesome for a little grain! Or, oops, it's not a grain. It's actually a seed, but you can prepare it and use it like rice or couscous. To prepare it you need one part quinoa to two parts water (or other such liquid) and whatever seasonings your heart desires. What I've read says to rinse it before cooking, but I'll admit that I don't. I'm pretty sure the tiny seeds would go right through the holes in my strainer. Like rice, you mix the quinoa, water, and seasonings, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low and cover. It cooks in twenty to twenty five minutes. I usually set the timer for twenty minutes and let it sit, still covered, for the last five minutes.

Last weekend I was with some friends at camp (that's what Mainers call a small cabin on a lake) and they were eating this delicious curried quinoa and chickpea salad. Inspired, I did some experimenting. I made a curry quinoa by just adding a bit of sea salt and curry powder to the pot. Then I stir fried some baby bok choy, green onions, and sugar snap peas. When all was done, I tossed them together and ate it with a side salad with a simple vinaigrette.

One of the things about my CSA that I'm enjoying most right now is trying to make a small variety of vegetables (greens, salad greens, and pea pods) into a wide variety of meals. What I usually end up with is a simple flavor combination that highlights the delicious vegetables. For this meal, the curry complimented the bok choy and peas quite nicely. I enjoy the combination of sweet sugar snap peas (or other sweet vegetables) with the complexity and slight spice of curry. Baby bok choy is great because the leaves themselves are slightly sweet, but if you include the thick stem, that is slightly spicy. It's not spicy in the jalapeno sense, but rather like horseradish or wasabi. Those pieces are a pleasant surprise that makes the dish even more interesting. I feel that this dish, or varieties of it, will make frequent showings at my dinner table.

Curried Quinoa with Baby Bok Choy and Sugar Snap Peas

1/4 c quinoa (rinsed)
1/2 c water
sea salt to taste
1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp black pepper olive oil
1 green onion, rinsed and chopped
6 small baby bok choy, split apart and washed
1 c sugar snap peas, rinsed and chopped in half

In a pan, mix the quinoa, water, sea salt and curry powder.
Turn burner on high and once the quinoa is at a boil, stir, cover and reduce the heat to low.
Cook for 20 minutes, then turn of the heat and let stand 5 minutes.
While quinoa is standing, heat a cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add oil.
Once oil is shimmering, add green onion, bok choy and peas.
Stir fry until bok choy begins to wilt.
Remove vegetables from heat.
In a bowl, mix together quinoa and vegetables. Eat while warm.