Quinoa is great! Not only does it have a complete set of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) it tastes good and is relatively cheap as well. I find quinoa very versatile and you can use it in many, many ways. In this post, however, I’m going to make a hearty warm quinoa salad with chickpeas, corn, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, and basil.
This dish can be eaten on its own, but it also works great as a side dish for when you’re going to a barbeque or picnic.
If you’re interested in reading more about the benefits of quinoa, or if you’re unsure how to cook it you find a lot of good information in this article.
In this recipe I used white quinoa, but you can switch for black or red or blend if you want to. I find the taste pretty similar.
- 2 1/2 dl (1 cup) quinoa uncooked
- 5 dl (2 cups) water
- 1/2 broccoli head
- 1/2 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 dl (1/4 cup) corn
- 1 dl (1/4 cup) chickpeas canned
- 1 dl (1/4 cup) sun-dried tomatoes
- 1/2 dl (1/5 cup) olive oil extra virgin
- 1 handful basil
- Salt
- Pepper
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Put the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and let simmer for 10-15 minutes or when the quinoa has absorbed all the water. Fluff it with a fork and set aside.
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While the quinoa is cooking, mince the onion and garlic.
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Grease a skillet with some oil and fry the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes or until the onion is translucent.
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Break the broccoli into florets and add them to the pan. Cook until the broccoli is soft.
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Add the corn, sun-dried tomatoes, chickpeas and basil leaves to the skillet and stir for a minute or two.
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Add the stir mix to the quinoa together with the olive oil and mix well. Taste with salt and pepper.
Tip: If you want it a bit spicier you can mince a red chilli fruit and fry it together with the onion.
Enjoy!