Quinoa Pilaf (No oil whole plant foods recipe)

Quinoa Pilaf (No oil whole plant foods recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup quinoa(white or red), preferably organic

1 ½ cups of Water

½ of medium sized Onion, chopped finely

2 tsp grated Ginger

3 cups of your favorite vegetables (use combination of: carrots(sliced into small rings), peas, broccoli(small florets), mushrooms(coarsely chopped), asparagus(cut 2-3 inches in length), green beans(cut 2-3 inches in length), red or yellow bell peppers(cut in small sized squares)

½ tsp Cumin seeds

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Turmeric

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Cilantro(optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Place pan on medium heat. After the pan heats up, add 3-4 tablespoons of water. Then add ¼ tsp of cumin seeds, followed by onions. Saute the onions and the cumin seeds for about 1-2 minutes.

Add grated ginger followed by 3 cups of vegetables(combination of all or some of the above vegetables). Add carrots first and broccoli last. Continue sauteing for additional 3-4 minutes.

Once the vegetables are mostly cooked, add 1 cup of dry quinoa and 1½ cup of water. Cover the pan and leave on medium heat for 10-12 minutes. Check the quinoa, may be entirely cooked or nearly cooked. If needed, cover the pan again and place on LOW heat for another 5-6 minutes

Mix in salt to taste, approximate ½ tsp, and ¼ tsp of turmeric and then remove from heat.

Instapot Variation:

After sauteing the vegetables on stove, place the vegetables in the Instapot and add 1 cup of dry quinoa and 1 ½ cups of water. Add ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of turmeric. Cook on the pressure cooker setting for approximately 5-6 minutes.

Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or 1 tablespoon juice of fresh squeezed lemon. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!