QUINOA (pronounced 'keen-wa' not 'key-no-no')

the correct saying for it is 'keen-wa', however i say 'key-no-no' for the sake of making myself laugh. nonetheless, I've seen tons of recipes that require quinoa, especially gluten free recipes. i've been skeptic about it, but i felt the need, especially now to take that chance and just try it.

to start: whole foods has it for $3.00, so if you're at the super market and find it to be ridiculously expensive (i was at target and saw it for $11.99-yikes) then try there.

before you cook it, rinse, rinse, rinse. it's so important to wash it off or you'll have a bitter taste and that's not fun. this didn't happen to me, but it was strongly emphasized. simply place the amount in a sieve or a strainer and run it under tap water. rinse for 5 minutes (i did 15 to be extra careful).

cook it as you would cook rice. bring water to a low boil, then add quinoa. quinoa is cooked when the seeds are "clear".

what i did for lunch/dinner
1 zucchini and 1 squash cut into quarters.
1/2 yellow onion diced
1 green pepper
1 can of bush's reduced sodium black beans (i drained the liquids)
1 small tomato diced
lime juice
lemon pepper (no sodium)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
2 tbs olive oil

**while you're cooking these things, set aside cooked quiona and cover**


coat skillet spray on vegetable oil
add zucchini, squash, yellow onion and green pepper.
add lemon pepper to taste (i go to town with it)
cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

add black beans and tomatoes in a small pot. add a splash of lime juice for taste and cover on medium low for 10 minutes.

combine vegetables, beans and quiona together, sprinkle salt and enjoy!