Quinoa Casserole
Serves 4

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/3 cups water
1-2 teaspoon hot pepper sesame oil (or plain with some Tabasco added)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups broccoli, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped (or one can chopped tomato)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roast rinsed quinoa in a skillet until it pops--sometimes this just takes a few seconds, so watch it carefully.
2. Place in casserole dish and add water.
3. Heat oil and saute onions, garlic, and curry in skillet until onions are translucent.
4. Add celery, broccoli, and tomato; saute briefly and add to quinoa.
5. Add soy sauce and vinegar.
6. Cover casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes.

**I've also just added up to a couple handfuls of leftover steamed veggies, just before I popped the whole into the oven, and it worked fine. Use what you have.

Photo of bag of Quinoa

QUINOA, BEAN & VEGETABLE CHILI

Serves 8

3/4 cup + 1 TBSP (160 grams) quinoa, rinsed and drained
2 cups (500 ml) water
1/4 teasp seasalt
2 TBSP olive oil
1 leek, white & light green parts only, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 each red and green pepper, cored and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large fresh red chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 teasp chili powder or to taste
2 teasp dried oregano
1 teasp cocoa powder
1 teasp ground cumin
1 teasp paprika
1/2 teasp ground cinnamon
1/2 teasp each sea salt and ground black pepper
1 - 400 gram (or 1 lb) tin red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 400 gram (or 1 lb) tin pinto or borlotti beans, rinsed and drained
4 - 400 gram ( or 3 1/2 lbs total) tinned chopped tomatoes
4 spring onions, chopped
2/3 cup light soured cream or crème fraîche (4 1/2 fl oz)

1. Roast the quinoa in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat for 5 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to pop.
In a small saucepan, bring the water to the boil. Add the salt and roasted quinoa, then cover and simmer over a medium heat
for 15 - 20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir. Cover and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat.Cook the leeks and garlic for 5 minutes, or until softened.
Stir in the celery, red and green peppers,carrot, fresh chili, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, cumin, paprika, cinnamon and seasoning.
Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

3. Stir in the beans and tomatoes, simmer, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Stir in the
quinoa and spring onion and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through. Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream.

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CURRIED QUINOA SALAD

Serves 6

3/4 cup + 1 TBSP (160 grams) quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup (100 ml) olive oil
1 large shallot or medium onion, chopped
1 teasp mild or medium curry powder
2 TBSP lemon juice
1 teasp Dijon mustard
1/2 teasp sea salt
1/4 teasp freshly ground black pepper
1 small carrot, finely chopped
1/2 a red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz or 50 grams) dried apricots, chopped
1/4 cup (1 3/4 oz or 50 grams) unsalted cashews, toasted & chopped
2 TBSP chopped spring onion
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1. Over a medium heat, and using a deep-sided frying pan, roast the quinoa for 5 minutes or until fragrant and
beginning to pop. Put 2 cups (500 ml) of water and a pinch of salt into a small saucepan and bring it to the boil.
Add the roasted quinoa; cover and simmer over a medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed.
Scrape the quinoa into a large bowl and let it cool.

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 TBSP oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat; cook the shallot for 3 minutes or until
softened. Stir in the curry powder and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper and pour it over the quinoa.
Add the carrot, red pepper, apricots, cashews, spring onion and parsley and gently incorporate with a fork.

Storage: This can be covered and chilled for up to 3 days.

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TURKEY - QUINOA LOAF

Serves 6

1/2 cup (85 grams) quinoa, rinsed and drained
9 oz minced turkey (250 grams)
1 apple, peeled and grated
1 onion, finely chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 TBSP finely chopped fresh sage
1 teasp Worcestershire sauce
1 teasp sea salt
1/2 teasp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teasp ground allspice
1/4 teasp ground cloves

1. In a frying pan over a medium heat, toast the quinoa for 5 minutes or until fragrant and beginning to pop,
In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water (250ml) with a pinch of salt to the boil. Add the toasted quinoa, then cover and simmer
over a medium heat for 15 - 20 minutes or until the water has been absorbed. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 350F (177C). In a large bowl, mix together the turkey, apple, onion, spring onion, garlic, sage,
Worcestershire sauce, seasoning and spices. Add the quinoa and mix in thoroughly.

3. Pack the mixture into a nonstick 2 lb (1 kg) loaf tin. Bake for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer registers 158F (70C)
when inserted in the centre of the meatloaf. Serve with Cranberry & Orange Sauce (see below).

Muffin Loaf Option: Place the mixture into 12 deep bun tins or muffin cups and bake for about 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer
registers 158F (70C) when inserted in the centre of the muffin

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CRANBERRY & ORANGE SAUCE

1 2/3 cup (9 oz or 250 grams) fresh or frozen cranberries
1/3 cup (2 oz or 50 grams) dried cranberries
3 TBSP sugar or sugar substitute
4 TBSP fresh orange juice
2 TBSP Grand Marnier or any orange-flavoured liqueur (optional)
1 TBSP frozen orange juice concentrate
1 TBSP grated orange zest
1/2 teasp cinnamon

1. In a saucepan, combine the cranberries, dried cranberries, sugar, orange juice, Grand Marnier, orange juice concentrate,
orange zest and cinnamon. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for
10 minutes or until the cranberries burst and the sauce is thickened.

Makes about 10 oz (300 grams).

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Source: All recipes from Rick Gallop's GI Diet Cookbook

SharonCb

Experiment with toasting it before cooking. Just saute it in a dry fry pan, stirring or shaking fairly regularly until it gives of a "toasty" aroma and has darkened just a bit. Don't wait 'til it turns brown, it will just taste burnt. Don't be alarmed if it pops a bit, like sesame seeds do when you toast them.

I like to cook a bit more quinoa than I need for any given recipe as it is great to sprinkle over salads, toss in with sauteed veggies or add to hot cereal. I knead it into bread dough and simmer it in marinara sauce along with eggplant and tofu to go on pasta or polenta.

Really, it is quite versatile and forgiving. Just play with it.

Cook 1-1/2 C. quinoa (after rinsing) with
2 C. water
1 20 oz can pineapple tidbits (or crushed) with own juice.
1/2 tsp. salt

for about 35 minutes (or until liquid is absorbed)

Stir in some almond butter before serving.

I made this over the weekend., First time cooking with Quinoa. It was really good! I used a cup of celery and no red pepper since I don't like cooked peppers.