Quinoa W Leeks Chard And Tofu Plus Other Fun Stuff Food

QUINOA SALAD WITH SWISS CHARD AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Remove stems from Swiss chard and chop in 1/2-inch pieces. Chop leaves and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium. Add onion, garlic and chard stems. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa and mustard. Add broth, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on low 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, uncover and let sit 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add chard leaves and continue cooking until greens have wilted and no more liquid remains in the skillet.
• Fluff quinoa with a fork. Fold mushrooms and leaves into it.
• The cooked quinoa can be set aside at room temperature for several hours and then served, or reheated to warm or hot. Crumble goat cheese and scatter on top just before serving.

QUINOA AND CHARD CAKES

Steps:

• Fill a bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the chard leaves. Blanch for two to three minutes until tender, then transfer to the ice water. Drain, squeeze out excess water and chop medium-fine. Add the chard stems to the water, and cook four to five minutes until tender. Transfer to the ice water, then drain and cut in 1/4-inch dice. Measure out 3/4 cup of the stems, and reserve the rest for another purpose. Alternatively, steam the chard leaves, then the stems, above an inch of boiling water until tender. The leaves will take three to four minutes, the stems five minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat in a medium or large skillet. Add the garlic. When it is fragrant, in 30 seconds to a minute, stir in the chard leaves and stems and the cumin. Stir together for about a minute, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl, and add the quinoa, Parmesan and egg. Stir together.
• Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the canola oil together over medium-high heat in a large, heavy skillet. Moisten your hands, and shape the quinoa and chard mixture into four hamburger-size patties (or make smaller, fritter-ish patties). Carefully place the patties in the hot oil, taking care not to crowd them in the pan. Press down on the tops of the patties with the bottom of your spatula to prevent them from falling apart; if they are thick enough, they should stay together. Cook for four to five minutes on each side until nicely browned. Remove from the heat and serve.

TEX-MEX TOFU AND QUINOA BOWL

Steps:

• Cook the quinoa as the label directs. Meanwhile, puree the cilantro, lime juice, 2 teaspoons honey, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a blender. With the blender running, slowly drizzle in 1/3 cup vegetable oil. Toss the cooked quinoa with 3 tablespoons of the cilantro dressing and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
• Stir the remaining 1 tablespoon honey and the hot sauce in a small bowl. Lay out the tofu slices on a double layer of paper towels and gently press with another double layer of paper towels to dry. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season the tofu on both sides with the cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Add the tofu to the skillet in a single layer and cook until browned and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and spread the tops of the tofu slices with the honey-hot sauce mixture.
• Divide the quinoa among bowls; top with the tofu, carrots, radishes and avocado, and season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining dressing and cilantro.

QUINOA AND VEGETABLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Bring the quinoa and stock to a boil. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the grain looks translucent, 12 to 15 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. You will have about 4 cups of cooked grain.
• Drizzle the bell pepper halves with EVOO and season both sides with salt and pepper. Roast cut-side down until the skins begin to char and the peppers are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp, then arrange in a baking dish cut-side up.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, eggplant, zucchini, onions and chiles, and season with salt and pepper. Cook partially covered to tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the herbs and tomatoes, and combine with the quinoa.
• Fill the pepper halves with the quinoa and vegetable stuffing and drizzle with EVOO. Cool and chill for a make-ahead meal. To serve, roast in a 375 degree F oven until the peppers are hot through. Serve the pepper halves topped with lots of cheese crumbles.

QUINOA CHARD PILAF

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute 5 minutes, until onion is tender. Mix in quinoa, lentils, and mushrooms. Pour in the broth. Cover, and cook 20 minutes.
• Remove the pot from heat. Shred chard, and gently mix into the pot. Cover, and allow to sit 5 minutes, or until chard is wilted.

KALE AND QUINOA SALAD WITH TOFU AND MISO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and cook over medium-low until the water is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, miso, mirin, sesame oil, 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil and 1/2 teaspoon sriracha. Stir in the ginger.
• Add the kale, massage it with the dressing and set aside to marinate. Spoon the cooked quinoa onto the kale and toss to coat.
• In a nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons grapeseed oil over medium. When the oil shimmers, cook the tofu, turning occasionally, until crisp on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil, then scatter it over the kale salad. Drizzle lightly with sriracha and honey and serve immediately.

QUINOA WITH SALMON AND SWISS CHARD

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and 2 cloves garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Stir quinoa into onion mixture until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.
• Pour vegetable broth into quinoa mixture. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat salmon, white wine, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer until salmon is cooked through and easily flaked with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes; drain.
• Transfer salmon to a plate and flake fish meat; discard skin and set salmon aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir 2 cloves garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir Swiss chard and lemon juice into garlic until Swiss chard begins to soften, about 2 minutes; remove from heat.
• Gently fold flaked salmon and chard into the cooked quinoa. Season with salt and black pepper.

SWISS CHARD, MUSHROOM, AND QUINOA SALAD

Steps:

• Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook Swiss chard, stirring occasionally, until wilted and tender, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and season with pepper. Add red-pepper flakes, and toss. Transfer to a platter.
• Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the garlic to skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until garlic is slightly golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Season with pepper. Cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa; cook to heat through, about 1 minute. Add thyme. Serve mushroom-quinoa mixture over Swiss chard, topped with Parmesan.