7 quick and easy quinoa recipes

Quinoa is a food with a high nutritional value. It provides all the essential amino acids, is rich in fiber and contains many vitamins and minerals. It also does not contain gluten, so it is suitable for people with celiac disease.

For these reasons, quinoa is considered to outperform traditional cereals such as oats, rice, wheat, and corn in terms of high nutritional value. It is also very easy to prepare recipes with quinoa and introduce this food into the diet.

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7 quick and easy quinoa recipes

Quinoa is a pseudocereal, a type of food similar to cereals. In recent times a lot is being introduced into Western food, although it is originally from South America. This is due to its great nutritional properties and how easy it is to prepare.

There are different types of quinoa, like white, red and black. They are all equally nutritious and flavorful, and can be incorporated into recipes in the same way. Below are different quick and easy recipes with quinoa that are highly recommended for everyone.

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1. Quinoa pancakes

Quinoa pancakes are a simple and tasty way to consume this food. You need two minced garlic, minced onion, ½ tablespoon of butter, 2 cups of cooked quinoa, chopped parsley, breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons flour, egg, olive oil, arugula, cherry tomatoes and pineapple in chunks.

To prepare the recipe, you start by making a sauce in a pan. Put the garlic, onion and butter in it and start to brown. Then the parsley, quinoa, ground bread, flour and egg are added, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Once the mixture is complete, it is allowed to cool and you have to form small pancakes with the dough

Then you have to brown the pancakes with a little olive oil and serve them accompanied by a salad of arugula, cherry tomato and pieces of pineapple. This recipe is easy to prepare and it is also a delicious way to consume quinoa.

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2. Cabbage rolls with quinoa

Cabbage rolls with quinoa are a light and very nutritious dish. Large cabbage leaves, spinach, garlic, feta cheese, cooked quinoa, salt, pepper, and chicken broth are needed. To cook the quinoa you just have to boil the quinoa in water, rinse it and let it rest.

The cabbage leaves are also cooked, in this case in salted water until they soften. On the other hand, in a pan, sauté spinach and garlic and then add the feta cheese and cooked quinoa. It is then seasoned with salt and pepper to taste.

Finally these ingredients are incorporated and used as a filling for the cabbage leaves. In this way, they are rolled up and bathed with the chicken broth to put in the oven at 160 ° for about 10 minutes. It can be accompanied with a dressing to taste.

3. Squid stuffed with quinoa

The squid stuffed with quinoa are a delight. Cooked squid, onion, carrot, and quinoa are needed for this recipe. This is a variant of the squid stuffed with minced meat that represents a more balanced and light alternative.

To start, the onion is sautéed in a pan until it is soft and transparent. Then you have to add the carrot, and once it is soft from cooking, add the squid legs and the previously boiled quinoa. Salt and pepper should also be added to taste.

Once the mixture is ready, the squid are filled and served. This recipe is a very tasty and quick option to use quinoa. It is used to replace meat and adding a food with a more suitable nutritional profile to combine it with squid.

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4. Quinoa salad with tofu and lamb's lettuce

A quinoa salad with tofu and lamb's lettuce is fresh and nutritious for when it's hot. To prepare it, you need quinoa, 2 cups of vegetable broth, 350 grams of cubed tofu, lamb's lettuce, cherry tomatoes, olive oil and lemon zest.

For this recipe it is preferable to cook the quinoa with a vegetable broth, although it can be done with water. It is also better to rinse the quinoa well before putting it in a pot, so it will be looser later. When the water starts to boil it is better to lower the heat and cook for about 15 minutes.

Once the quinoa is there, you have to wait for it to cool to mix it with the rest of the ingredients. This quinoa salad can also be served with any type of dressing.

5. Quinoa three delights

The quinoa three delights is an adaptation of the rice three delights. For this recipe the necessary ingredients are: white quinoa, egg, peas, carrot, soy sauce, shrimp, extra virgin oil and salt.

The quinoa is cooked for 15 minutes, in the same way as the rice (you must put twice the amount of water as quinoa), and then it is left to drain. On the other hand, the carrots are chopped and cooked with the peas. In addition, the prawns are also sautéed in a pan with extra virgin oil.

Finally, all you have to do is mix all the ingredients: the quinoa, the carrot with peas and the prawns. Once they are integrated, they are seasoned in a pan and a little soy sauce is added. Then it is allowed to warm up and it is ready to serve.

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6. Fruit salad with yogurt and quinoa

The fruit salad with yogurt and quinoa is a light and very nutritious breakfast. In fact, it can be a dish for any time in a day, being a very simple way to incorporate quinoa into our diet.

To prepare this salad you need plain yogurt, honey, ground cardamom, diced peach, ¾ cup of raspberry, ¾ of blueberries and ½ cup of puffed quinoa.

To start, you have to mix the yogurt with a little honey and cardamom to taste. Then, in a bowl, add the fruits and mix a little and put the yogurt mixed with honey and cardamom on top.

Finally, you finish by pouring a little puffed quinoa on top of the salad, which can be found in some supermarkets. This recipe is sweet and fresh, and also very easy and fast to prepare.

7. Quinoa stir fry with leek and carrot

This Carrot Leek Quinoa Stir Fry is an easy way to make quinoa. Cooked quinoa, leek, carrot, broccoli, soy sauce, and apple juice are needed.

In a frying pan you have to sauté strips of leek, carrot and broccoli. Once the vegetables are a bit soft, add the soy sauce and apple juice to the mixture.

Then the quinoa is also added and mixed, and left to heat for a few minutes and that's it. This recipe can be served as a garnish for a main dish or enjoyed on its own, as the mixture of flavors results in a delicious dish.

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Bibliographic references

• Barlow, M. and Ashcraft, S. (2006). 101 Things to Do with a Salad: One Hundred One Things to Do With a Salad. Gibbs smith.

• Coscarelli, C. (2013). Chloe's kitchen: 125 easy, delicious recipes for making the food you love the vegan way. London: Simon & Suchester.

• Hay, D. (2017). Fresh and light cuisine: More than 180 recipes and tasty ideas to find the perfect balance. Barcelona: Editions B.