Vegan day 326: Pineapple Quinoa

Being the quinoa fan that I am, this recipe jumped off the page of VEGANOMICON and practically onto my palate. 

Have I mentioned that I also have pineapple almost daily. Again, since we do not live in Hawaii, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing, however, with respect to this amazing stir-fry.. it’s a necessity. This is a great dish to share with non-vegans because of the deep flavors. It’s actually going to be more of a challenge to sell the idea of quinoa. That.. in and of itself is a shame! Quinoa is an amazing grain (seed) with low fat, no cholesterol, higher levels of protein and dietary fiber. It’s a wonderful alternative to those wanting or needing to avoid gluten. I personally wish that all restaurants that serve pasta and rice would add this to their menus as a nice option for vegans and others wanting to avoid nutrient deprived refined grains such as white rice and yes.. white pasta! Two solid reasons why people over indulge right there! If we are going to eat more than we should to begin with, it might as well be food with greater nutrients. That’s the best part really, when our bodies get what they need, the urge to overeat subsides somewhat! 


PINEAPPLE QUINOA by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

First, one has to make the perfect quinoa as I have blogged many times before. I say this with experience as one who has messed up quinoa often. The key here is 1 1/2 ratio liquids to quinoa. The recipe here calls for 2:1; since the pineapple juice can be on the thicker side, I would still be careful not to oversaturate.

QUINOA RECIPE
1 cup quinoa
1 cup pineapple juice (I used a bit less but later added more of the real pineapple)
1 cup cold water
1/4 teaspoon tamari

STIR-FRY RECIPE

  • 4 ounces or to your judgement of cashews; I used about 1 1/2 cups and also pine nuts
  • 3 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 scallions
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 red hot chile sliced thin
  • 1/2 inch ginger minced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup (or more) of frozen green peas or cooked edamame
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint
  • 2 cups or so of fresh pineapple
  • 3 tablespoons tamari
  • 3 tablespoons of vegetable broth ( I later used more as I added in the quinoa)
  • 1 tablespoon of marin
  • Lime wedges for garnish

1st: Make the perfect quinoa– keep it on low flame and covered. 
2nd: Lightly roast the nuts in a dry nonstick skillet for about 5 minutes. Keep these to the side for now.
3rd: Begin the stir-fry with oil, garlic, chile, ginger and scallions. Add in the peas and peppers.. then later the basil and mint
4th: Mix in the quinoa with the tamari, vegetable broth and marin


This is a great party dish and festive for the holidays as well!

Disclaimer: The information given here is for educational purposes only. You should not use this to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

[Wednesday, November 21st 2012 blog]
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