Quinoa Salad - Home Cooking Dish of the Month August 2012

[Dave MP]

Announcing the August 2012 Home Cooking Dish of the Month: Quinoa Salad

Link to Nomination Thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/859431
Link to Voting Thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/860346

So, now that it's nearly August in Australia, let's start cooking! The idea of Home Cooking Dish of the Month is to collectively cook as many versions of the dish as possible within the month of August, reporting back with details about recipes, and photos of the dishes we've cooked.

If you're looking for inspiration, a quick search for "quinoa salad" on CHOW is a great start...immediately turns up some recipes and some good Chowhound threads. See: http://www.chow.com/search?query=%22q...

Recipes for quinoa salad might come from the Internet, cookbooks, or could also be original inventions! Looking forward to seeing what people come up with, and trying some recipes of my own as well!

Dave MP

[jpr54_1]

In the library today and took out the book
Quinoa Cuisine by Jessica Harlan & Kelley Sparwasser

There r several recipes I am going to make from the book

cod with tomato-orange sauce over spanish style quinoa
broiled salmon on dilled quinoa pilaf
pea, lemon and mint quinoa
tabouleh salad

[Yetunde]

I love Quinoa. I did not make a sald this month but an African inspired version of the dish. It's coconut Jollof Quinoa which tastes savory, sweet and lightly spicy. The recipe below

1 Cup of Quinoa
1/2 cup chopped Red Onions
1 Cup chopped red Tomatoes
1/2 Cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp chilli's
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
2 tsp chicken bouillon

Heat up pot and add oil, and chopped vegetables. Stir.Add all the Seasonings and stir. Add quinoa and stir continuously for a few minutes
Add chicken stock and coconut milk. Stir and cover tightly. Simmer for twenty minutes.

Over High heat, place frying pan and heat up 2 tbsp of Oil. Sprinkle brown sugar and bouillon on fish fillets. Place fish, fleshy side down into pan. Allow to cook for 4 minutes per side before turning the fish over to cook other side.

Serve hot quinoa topped with blacked salmon. Sprinkle on some chopped parsley for a finished look.

[mels]

I have been making this dish from Vegetarian Times regularly since last fall when my CSA overloaded me with apples, week after week. It is good with any quinoa but especially gorgeous when you use the red as in the picture.

Gingery quinoa salad with apples, peas, and coconut:

[christy319]

Re the popularity of quinoa: My department at work enjoys holding potlucks, but after 4 (out of 13) people brought quinoa salad to the last one, we had to put a moratorium on it. :) No more, at least for a while until we're all not sick of it anymore.

[soypower]

The cafeteria where my boyfriend works apparently has some really great stuff. He was really excited about the quinoa salad they served one day and asked me to it for him. It was a cross between a greek salad and taboulleh made from quinoa. From his description, I mixed the quinoa with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, parsley, olives, chick peas and roasted red peppers. Dressed with lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, s&p and then topped with feta.

A really refreshing salad that I will definitely make again.

[jen kalb]

Just wanted to add this excellent Quinoa Salad with Iranian Dried Lime From Ottolenghi's Plenty to the mix on this thread
It was originally reported in the COTM and I have added my new report and a pic over there
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7819...

[dkennedy]

Does anyone have the Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook? They make a wonderful Quinoa Salad with chickpeas, arugula, and avocado. I'd love to have the recipe so I could make it at home.

[HillJ]

dk, it's really the vinaigrette dressing you need, right. The salad is made by combining the quinoa with their prepared tabouleh and arranging the other fresh ingredients on the plate.

[dkennedy]

Right. I am going there today, I'll see if it is in their store copy.

[BigSal]

Tonight I made cathyeats's quinoa with grilled corn and poblano peppers (http://tinyurl.com/clzedp2). It's a great summer salad. Roasted corn, poblanos and scallions are mixed with quinoa (lightly toasted before cooking), lime juice, olive oil, roasted pepitas, cilantro and s & p. I stay true to the recipe, but I like to add raw sliced scallions and minced serrano peppers. I love the combination of flavors and textures in this. Thanks cathyeats!

[amyamelia]

I adapted this curried wheatberry salad to quinoa since the wheatberries made for some unpleasantness -ahem- around here.

http://www.myyogaonline.com/healthy-l...

I just used 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in place of the uncooked wheatberries (quinoa rinsed and then cooked ~10 mins in salted water). Also good with cooked chickpeas mixed in.

[Breadcrumbs]

amyamelia, thanks for the link to that recipe (and the chuckle) ... I like your variation for all the same reasons!! ; - )

[dkennedy]

I haven't seen anyone submit the Quinoa, Fruit and Nut Salad on page 138 of Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table. It is wonderful.

Here is a link to the recipe somebody set out on their blog:

http://www.dspencer.net/recipes/quino...

Do follow the directions exactly, it makes a difference.

[L.Nightshade]

The nomination thread for the September Dish of the Month is now up here:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/864260

Don't stop sharing your quinoa salads! It's just time to start thinking about our next dish.

[dkennedy]

I love this idea. Just stumbled upon it, and wondering if this will be a monthly thread? I looked for the September nomination or voting thread but couldn't find one.

[L.Nightshade]

The September voting thread will be up by tomorrow. There will be a link to it posted here, and it will also have a sticky.

[slcook]

The recipe using mango looks wonderful.
I have made this recipe a few times and loved it. Love the combo of quinoa, tomatoes, cuces, avocado and mint. Found the original on FN and altered it a bit to suit my taste. One warning, the original recipe calls for rinsing the quinoa after cooking. Not a good idea. I think they meant to say rinse before cooking... here's the link. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fo...
I also posted it on my blog with pics.

[mguino1]

simple recipe....boil it in some kind of stock.....when its ready chill it and mix it with cilantro, fresh squeezed lemon/lime add black beans and diced tomatos. Makes a delicious side!

[Breadcrumbs]

Bocconcini and Oregano Quinoa Salad – Quinoa The Everyday Superfood Cookbook p. 47

I’ve had this book for a while now but this is the first time I’ve actually prepared a recipe from it. Though this sounds fairly standard, what really elevated the dish was the dressing and I think the Dijon/balsamic combo was especially good. This received rave reviews all around and I’ve already made a second batch for lunches this week. An excellent salad!

If anyone’s interested, I also found the recipe online:

http://www.sportsspecifictraining.com...

[pâté chinois]

I love love love this simple yet elegant salad which I found on Whole Food's website (http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recip...). It's been a great hit at office potlucks and even "converted" a few colleagues to quinoa...

Ingredients:

* 2 cups water
* 1 1/3 cup quinoa
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
* 1 1/2 cup green or red grapes quartered
* 1/2 cup sliced almonds toasted

Method:

Rinse quinoa under cold running water and drain. Bring 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in quinoa and a pinch of salt then reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender and most of the liquid is absorbed,15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and set aside to let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, salt and pepper. Slowly add the oil, whisking well. Add quinoa and toss to combine. Add chicken, grapes and almonds and toss again. Serve at room temperature or chilled, if you like.

[mrsgfab]

I like to add some Goya Adobo seasoning and kale. My husband and 18mon. old love it!

[helmut fig newton]

just made some this morning..
raw:
chopped cucumber
thin sliced carrot
thin sliced red onion
grated broccoli stalk
red quinoa
coated in trader joes balsamic dressing
top with shreaded smoked peppered mackerel

[sweetTooth]

Wow! So many new quinoa recipes to try! Great idea - dish of the month, i.e.

In my kitchen, quinoa salad is the staple to pull out when I am short on time, just have basic ingredients but want something healthy and satisfying on the table. Also, no complaints at the table. Here's what I do:

Simmer about 1c quinoa (white) in about 1.75C of boiling salted water. Takes about 15-20 minutes. I uncover towards the end so any extra water evaporates. Spread out cooked quinoa on a platter to cool. Dressing - juice of whatever citrus is on hand, olive oil, ground cumin (about a tsp?), salt, pepper, maybe a drizzle of honey. Vegetables - one finely diced red bell pepper, 2 or 3 scallions sliced (white and green parts), 1 small cucumber, 1 can black beans drained and rinsed, large handful of cilantro leaves (or cilantro and mint). Toss it all together. Done.

[megjp]

Yay, I'm on-topic for once! Screw you, former schoolteachers!

Ahem. With prompting from Moosewood's Simple Suppers, this (they say a pilaf, I say a salad and don't serve hot): http://theaprilblake.com/2011/03/vegetable-quinoa-pilaf/

I used half the quinoa (because I found I had only ~ 3/4C. left) but left the amount of veg the same and didn't bother measuring the onion. I used a fresh and a roasted red pepper; a couple of rather large carrots; and I added some corn when I added sweet peas. I didn't use garlic to sautee the veg before assembly, because I made the Glory Bowl dressing from a rice bowl recipe in a Whitewater cookbook: http://www.dollopofcream.com/2012/01/...

It was very good; I encourage everyone to make the dressing, just shaking the ingredients together in a jar or something, although unless you're feeding an army for a week you should probably do this thing by half-measure..

[sweetTooth]

> Yay, I'm on-topic for once! Screw you, former schoolteachers!
LOL!

[sedimental]

I got inspired and invented a nice room temp quinoa salad tonight to go with my grilled chicken chimichurri.
Cook the quinoa in chicken broth, when done --and cooled to just warm-- toss in a bowl with cubes of cucumbers, lime, olive oil, sun dried tomato, feta cheese -and lots of fresh oregano and fresh mint. Room temp was nice and allowed the herbs to really come forward. Perfect with chicken.

[nomadchowwoman]

By DGresh about 1 hour ago

Using a lot of ideas from this thread and a quinoa cookbook I own, I came up with a salad based on stuff I had in the fridge for last night's dinner:

Spinach and Red Quinoa Salad with Peaches and Feta

I spooned red quinoa, which I had previously rinsed, drained, steamed (using 1 1/2X water to quinoa) and cooled, atop a mound of spinach. I topped that with slivers of red onion, peach slices, crumbled feta, chopped dried cherries, and toasted almond slices. I made a vinaigrette of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, honey, dijon mustard, EVOO, S & P and drizzled that over the salad. I think next time I'd toss the quinoa with the vinaigrette before assembling the salad, but I still thought it was delicious. My husband said he liked it but found the combination of spinach and quinoa texturally weird--but I think he'll get over this. He's just not used to quinoa. Yet.

[Dave MP]

That looks really good!

[DGresh]

I have been making Deborah Madison's Quinoa Salad with Dried Fruit and Pine Nuts for ages now, probably close to 20 years. I distinctly remember eating it while waiting for my Lamaze class (and the kid is turning 19 in a couple of weeks). It is always delicious, and it is beautiful too.

http://www.healthylivingmarket.com/re...

[HillJ]

http://kellysiewcooks.com/2012/07/04/...

Quinoa (like rice) Pudding with sliced bananas and cinnamon. Nice alternative.

[lilham]

I've made this Ottolenghi avocado, quinoa and broad bean salad from Plenty, and it's delicious

http://houseandhome.com/food/recipes/avocado-quinoa-fava-bean-salad-recipe

I've reported it in the COTM thread for Plenty

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/7819...

[oakjoan]

I've made Ottolenghi's Camargue Red Rice and Quinoa with orange Pistachios (p76 in Ottolenghi). It's a great party dish with quinoa, rice, pistachios, dried apricots. onion, orange and lemon juices, garlic, spring onions and arugula. Fabulous.

I'll paraphrase recipe if anybody wants it. Dunno if there have been other posts about and was too lazy to check. Haven't been around for a while and so am not caught up.

[herby]

Is this the salad you made, Oakjoan?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyl...

[jen kalb]

thats the recipe. You need to watch out with the balance of flavors - it can seem too sweet otherwise, with the apricots and orange - but its been a big hit when I made it.

[herby]

Sounds like I need to make it - love Ottolenghi's recipes; I'll watch for sweetness and will most likely leave apricots out - I do not like too many sweet things in my savoury dishes.

[janeh]

I used half of the red rice/quinoa combo for the Ottolenghi salad and froze the rest. Used it later in an improvised salad ( don't recall quite how!) and have subsequently cooked and frozen another batch of the rice and quinoa for future last minute salads. It freezes well and is a great starting point.

[herby]

Good to know; I should start freezing leftover rice and quinoa instead of trying to come up with ideas to use them up.

[smilingal]

ohhhh - so rocket leaves is arugula? learn something new every day! thanks!

[jen kalb]

LEMON QUINOA WITH CURRANTS, DILL AND ZUCCHINI, FROM ANCIENT GRAINS FOR MODERN MEALS BY MARIA SPECK, P. 90

very well received and interesting recipe, took a little more fussing than expected to get the quinoa to the correct stage

onions are sauteed with some salt (recipe calls for green onions, I used white) then the quinoa is added and sauteed "until the grains start to crackle and turn dry" It was at this point that I realized that I hadnt washed the grain (the recipe calls for washed and drained quinoa). The water, currants nand more salt are then added, the dish brought to the boil and then turned down to simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa tender 15-20 minutes. In my case, I had to add a bit more boiling water and leave it covered for 10 min longer altogether til it reached the proper degree of doneness and fluffiness.

At this point, 2 c. of grated zucchini, 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp of grated lemon rind and 2 tbsp of lemon juice, 2 tbsp chopped dill and salt and pepper are stirred in, and the pan covered again, off the heat. Additional dill and toasted sesame are sprinkled on at the end.

A very fresh and pleasant dish. - was dubious about the uncooked unsalted zucchini but it worked well.

there is an alternative given of basil and pine nuts replacing the dill and sesame and I think that would have been very good, note I added some toasted pine nuts to my dish for additional textural contrast.

My only critique of this recipe is that I think the currants (I only had golden raisins that day) were cooked too long - they rather disintegrated, so I would add them a bit later in the process when I make again.

[jen kalb]

pic of the salad

[L.Nightshade]

This salad sounds nice; I like the toasted sesame addition. I wonder if the longer time might be needed for currants, as they are usually a lot tougher than golden raisins.

[jen kalb]

Yeah its worth making but I I would definitely add the currants later. They were fine after 20 minutes steaming in the Ottolenghi bulghur dish I just reported on. The raisins simply turned to sweet mush.

[wyogal]

I got a package of quinao/brown rice mix, rosemary and garlic flavor. I'm cooking it now. I'm turning it into a salad with chopped fresh tomatoes, onions, and celery. I'll dress it with a light vinaigrette.

[Rubee]

This is what I'm just about to prep for lunch tomorrow. First time making it. I'm using red leaf lettuce since that's what's in the fridge.

Arugula-Quinoa Salad with Cherries
http://eatwhereulive.com/?p=801

[L.Nightshade]

That looks lovely Rubee! I look forward to your report.

[Rubee]

Here you go!

I loved the combination of flavors. Changes: I substituted red leaf lettuce for the arugula and added toasted sliced almonds. Didn't have lemons so used lemon-infused olive oil, finely diced preserved lemon, and champagne vinegar in the dressing. For the fig jam - Fig & Ginger Jam from Stonewall Kitchen. Fresh, healthy lunch today.

[mariacarmen]

that looks fabulous. i may replicate that one soon....

[L.Nightshade]

Such a vibrant looking salad Rubee! I love the addition of preserved lemon; I bet you really kicked up the flavor with that.

[lynnlato]

Yummm!!! I will be making this for sure.

[peppermint_sky]

Quinoa salad with cherries and toasted almonds, served on a bed of baby spinach

Delightfully fresh tasting and so pretty!

I too used that lovely recipe for the cherry quinoa salad. Thank you, Rubee! I took your idea of adding toasted almonds, along with a few other goodies. I doubled the dressing (but reduced the olive oil by a Tablespoon), and then mixed a little more than half of my dressing into the quinoa/cherry mixture. I kept the remaining dressing aside to dress the greens immediately before serving. The dressing is light, and both faintly sweet and tart -- lovely with the nuttiness of the quinoa.

Quinoa cooking method:

To prepare the quinoa, first I toasted in a tiny bit of olive oil until golden. Then I used the method described in the very first post here, and also endorsed in the New York Times Well blog this summer. She avidly researched the best cooking method for a quinoa salad, and she came up with cooking the quinoa in 1.5 parts boiling water (I used chicken broth). Simmer for 15 minutes until curly. Remove from heat. Cover quinoa with a dish towel and replace the lid, and leave the quinoa like that for 10 more minutes. Then fluff with forks.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06...

[blue room]

I found a promising quinoa salad on Martha Stewart's site today
http://www.marthastewart.com/314107/q...
Quinoa-and-Apple Salad with Curry Dressing. Very nice, with reservations. The white quinoa is mixed with toasted almonds, currants (I used dried cranberries) chopped mint, and apple slices. The dressing is good good stuff -- olive oil, lemon juice, honey, salt and pepper, shallot and curry powder.
I would have liked this better without the mint -- and surprisingly, the apples. Just me, I guess. All those "warm" flavors, then a cold wet tart apple slice in the mix, I'd just leave it out next time -- or at least chop it smaller.

[BananaBirkLarsen]

This one is my all time favourite: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

I make it all the time when mangoes are in season.

[drongo]

I made this Quiinoa Tabbouleh last week and it was good.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/quino...

In truth, you could take any Tabbouleh recipe and substitute quinoa for the bulgur and have something good.

[corneygirl]

We do this frequently, and often add any bits of veg lying around that need to be used. It's really nice for a side at dinner and then translates to lunches that don't (necessarily) need to be kept cool. It really is easy and the extra protein and calorie density are good for those (like the bf) who have physical jobs, but aren't huge mid-day eaters.

[cleopatra999]

tabouleh is my favourite quinoa salad, otherwise I do a herb salad. Any fresh herb, mint, cilantro, parsley, basil, plus veggies and avocado, dress with a simple lemon/olive oil dressing. Keeps in fridge for a few days. Great for lunches.

[DonShirer]

I made Tabbouleh from this recipe. Just the thing for a meal on a hot summer day.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[drongo]

It looks good, Don. Though 1/2 cup oil per 1 cup quinoa is on the high end.

For some comparators, see:

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-tabbouleh-10000000223454/
http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/1545/MediterraneanQuinoa73231.shtml
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/quinoa-tabbouleh-10000001734359/
http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/164895/QuinoaCilantro-Tabbouleh
http://www.grouprecipes.com/70756/qui...

[DonShirer]

Thanks for the tip. I'll experiment with less next time.

[Breadcrumbs]

Add me to the list of folks that love quinoa in my Tabouleh. I recently picked up a Quinoa cookbook for $5 and this recipe was one with immediate appeal:

Tabouleh – Cooking with Quinoa by Rena Patten – p. 57

Loved the use of quinoa in this dish for a riff that we’ll now consider our house version of this salad. The chopping the veggies is done in the time it takes to cook the quinoa. Once the quinoa cools, everything is tossed together and served. Perfect as a side dish or, a meal unto itself. Second time around it was the meal and I topped the dish w some Kalamata olives and feta. Delicious.

[Berheenia]

I was pleasantly surprised last week when I had a ready made quinoa salad with beets and kale at Whole Foods Salad bar at how delicious it was. I added some soy sauce as I usually find the stuff there to be bland but after 2 weeks of vacation eating I was ready for some grains. I'd like to find a recipe that mimics what I had - it was red from the beets so I don't know what the original color of the grain was. Is it a candidate for a rice cooker?

[EM23]

I forgot about that salad – it is good. This looks like the recipe http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/607

And this is a great article on cooking with quinoa, also from WF. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice

I have made this Spiced Quinoa from allrecipes.com a couple of times now and absolutely love it. It is a really simple, quick recipe with loads of flavor. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spiced-q...

At the risk of sounding like one of those recipe-destroying, Epicurious.com commenters, I did make a few changes to the original:
- Before starting the recipe I toasted the quinoa in a sauté pan with a bit of olive oil, just until it started to smell fragrant.
- doubled the amounts of onion and garlic
- added a couple shakes of cayenne and onion powder, plus a bit more curry powder.
- used sultanas instead of raisins and skipped the pine nuts.

I ended up having to add more liquid at the 20 minute mark because the quinoa was not fully cooked– IDK why.

The recipe makes 4 large servings (more like 5 or 6 servings) and it freezes well too.

[herby]

Spiced quinoa sounds delicious - definitely making it next time - thank you for sharing!

[Berheenia]

Finally made a version of my own with red beets and their greens and some scallions. Hoped to have it last night for dinner but was voted down so it's what's for lunch. For years I made a couscous salad with a curry OJ dressing and raisins and small veggies so tried to change this up with red spices rather than yellow. It's still mellowing in the fridge. Thanks for pointing me to a recipe and thanks all for the advice about rinsing the grain first!

[blue room]

I have a reason now to seek out new quinoa recipes, but this is one I've used for a long time:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001564.html
Satisfying and tasty!
By the way, I really really don't mean to be presumptuous, this is just in case:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFpW7e...

[HillJ]

blue room, the quinoa by 101c is also one of my fav simple preparations. I tend to add diced roasted peppers or grilled cubed eggplant to the bowl but it's the simple prep that I love about it.

[jujuthomas]

I've been wanting to try quinoa for a while. I'm looking forward to seeing people's suggestions. :)

[pikawicca]

Made this to take to a potluck last night. It disappeared quickly.

2 cups black quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 small head red cabbage, shredded
1 cup peas
1 cup shredded carrots
1 bunch green onion, thinly sliced
2 mangoes, diced
2 clementines, peeled and segments divided

1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) salt
1 tablespoon Sriracha

Put the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Add enough dressing to the salad to thoroughly moisten. Chill at least two hours. Check for seasoning before serving. Makes a ton, but the leftovers are great for lunch.

[The Dairy Queen]

Sounds delicious! Do you think the black quinoa adds anything other than color vs. the regular beige quinoa?

~TDQ

[pikawicca]

It keeps a little bit more crunch, which I like. IIRC, both black and red quinoa are higher in protein than the white.

[shaebones]

Made this the other day. Subbed fresh local peaches for the mango and used the white quinoa I had on hand. Mixed some chicken in for my meat eating husband. DELICIOUS. Be forwarned though. I made half the recipe and it was still a huge amount. Great leftover.
Recipe I'm referring to is from Picawicca

[jpr54_1]

my books have not arrived yet
there r several types of quinoa-red,white,black
do the recipes indicate which one to be used?

[The Dairy Queen]

Some do. I'm curious if it matters, other than aesthetics. Has anyone noticed a difference in flavor or texture between the three colors? Edit: in this link, they mention that the red quinoa doesn't absorb water as quickly. http://www.cookingquinoa.net/category...

Question for DaveMP: is this the thread we use to report back on the recipes we try. Or will you post another thread tomorrow?

~TDQ

[drongo]

In her recent NY Times article on quinoa salads, Martha Rose Shulman mentions that the black quinoa needs more water and time to soften http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/11/hea...

[The Dairy Queen]

Interesting! So, what she calls "pearl" quinoa, is that just the ordinary beige quinoa we see most of the time or is that yet another variety?

~TDQ

[drongo]

Yes, pearl is beige. Here's a pic: http://www.pinkdandychatter.com/wp-co...

[cleopatra999]

I usually mix red and white together while cooking in rice cooker, never had issue with one cooking slower than the other, don't notice any difference in taste/texture.

[wyogal]

Just wondering, do y'all rinse your quinoa before cooking it? I'm mostly talking about the quinoa bought in bulk from a bin/dispenser. The first time i made it, I didn't rinse, it was bitter. Then I read that one really should rinse it first, the bitterness is left from processing. Not sure if that has changed much or not. It's been awhile since I've used it. I have some in the pantry, but it's in a package, already with spices, like a rice-a-roni mix.

[The Dairy Queen]

I always rinse my quinoa 3 times. I think there is some quinoa that comes pre-rinsed from the producer, but I don't take any chances.

~TDQ

[Njchicaa]

I always rinse it well. The outer layer of the grain contains saponins which is what you make soap from... hence the bitter flavor.

[wyogal]

That's what I thought. Thanks!

[Samuelinthekitchen]

I've always wondered about this. I rinse mine but I like the recipes that call for toasting it. How do you dry it out before you put it in oil or do you dry fry it?

[sccrash]

When I use quinoa that needs to be rinsed, I put it in the pan first, heat gently just until dry, then add the oil.

[herby]

I have not bought in bulk and would rinse if I do. The packaged quinoa that I usually buy does not need rinsing - I have not rinsed once and never had a bitter dish.

[drongo]

I rinse quinoa to remove the saponins. But the closely related Kañiwa apparently doesn't have the saponins and hence needs no (or less) rinsing http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ka%C3%B1iwa

[cleopatra999]

I always buy bulk (red and white) organic, and never rinse. Cook in my rice cooker, never experienced bitterness.

[mariacarmen]

I've never rinsed, never notice any bad/bitter flavor at all.

[Njchicaa]

This is an excellent quinoa salad. I boil it per the package instructions rather than steaming it like the recipe calls for. Otherwise, I follow it exactly and it is delicious! A real crowd pleaser. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[greeneggsnham]

Yes! We enjoy that salad too, although I have always omitted the black beans. The pickled jalapenos really add a nice kick.

[lynnlato]

Oh yea, this looks tasty!

[The Dairy Queen]

Love it! There are a couple of quinoa salads in Raising the Salad Bar the August COTM that I've had my eye on.

~TDQ

[herby]

I so did not expect it to be quinoa; trendy seed and everyone is into it these days including my children. I seem to make it at least once a week. My favourite way to cook quinoa is to toast it first in a bit of olive oil until fragrant and then pour hot chicken stock over. I like 1 part quinoa to 1.5 part stock. Season and cook for 10min; turn off the heat, cover the pot with a towel, place the lid on top and let cool until ready to serve.

The latest success was to top quinoa with Simple Salsa from Fish Without a Doubt (page 394).

[The Dairy Queen]

Quinoa is trendy, I think, because it's one of the fastest cooking whole grains. And it's delicious! Thanks for the toasting tip!

~TDQ

[pdxgastro]

Costco has started carrying it (in huge bags, no less)- that is a sign Quinoa has *made it* in the world.

[mariacarmen]

i love the stuff, and it's great for us to work with a "new" ingredient, and make it a staple in our own homes, but not so great for everyone, unfortunately ... http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/20/wor...