Quinoa is one of those things I never know what to do with, I just can't seem to find anything really exciting to make with it so after a bit of searching I decided to use it to bulk up a stew in the place of meat. I don't usually use a lot of dried spices when I'm cooking but I wanted to go for a Mediterranean kinda taste for this with the days getting warmer and the result is something hearty yet fresh with a slight spice to it
and definitely something I will be making again.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 red onion
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sticks of celery
- 2 carrots
- 1 courgette
- 1 pepper (or 4 small)
- 10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 tin of butter beans
- 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 cup vegetable stock
- 1 bay leaf
- sprinkle of chopped coriander
- 3 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
(Serves 4)
♥ Dice the carrots, courgette, peppers, garlic, onion, celery and cherry tomatoes.
♥ Heat the olive oil in a pan then add the diced vegetables and cook until soft.
♥ Once the vegetables are cooked add the vegetable stock, tinned tomatoes, butter beans, cumin, chilli, paprika, ground coriander, oregano and bay leaf and simmer on a low heat.
♥ Whilst the stew is cooking wash the quinoa thoroughly until the water runs clear then boil it in a saucepan with a cup of water.
♥ Once the quinoa is cooked and all the moisture has been absorbed divide it into bowls.
♥ Add the Shaoxing rice wine to the stew then divide the stew into the bowls with the quinoa
♥ Sprinkle a bit of fresh coriander on top.
♥ Eat and enjoy!
