Last night, I cooked another quinoa dish, but this time, I used the Organic Tri-Color Quinoa, from Trader Joe’s. With the blend of colors, it turned out to be one of the prettiest dishes! :)
As you may have seen, the native Peruvian quinoa plant bears seeds on top that range in a variety of colors—from white, orange, red, purple, to black. What’s the difference?
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| Organic Tri-Color Quinoa, Trader Joe’s, $4.99 |
The colors depend on the variety of the plant, but there is no nutritional difference. They are all rich in protein, high in fiber and a good source of vitamins. The most common colors are white, red and black.
- White quinoa, sometimes a pale yellow color, resembles white rice when cooked because of the fluffiness. It is the most common and has the mildest flavor of all varieties.
- Red quinoa, varying from dark red to orange, turns a brownish color when cooked. It resembles brown rice in color and also in its earthy, nutty flavor. The red type is a slight bit chewier and crunchier.
- Black quinoa is a hybrid that was first grown in the Colorado Rockies. It is the darkest, crunchiest, and nuttiest in flavor than the other varieties.
I love cooking with quinoa because the mild flavor absorbs a range of ingredients, including most herbs, broths, sauces and vegetables. A completely different meal can be cooked, just by changing the spices and additions! Here is the one I made…
Quinoa: Cajun-style
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cup water
- 1 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp basil
- 1/2 c. green onion
- 1/2 c. celery
- 1 can beans
- 1 c. frozen corn
- 1 T olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Lime juice to taste
Directions:
- Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with water; cook according to directions.
- Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, and basil.
- Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans, green onion, celery.
- Add olive oil, salt, pepper and lime juice to taste
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| adding green onions and celery to the mix |
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| the final product! |
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2 Comments
Dara Reppucci
February 14, 2012 at 8:55 pmAwesome recipe! I am a quinoa fanatic and enjoy all varieties/colors. Great post.
Kristin @ thefreshfind
February 15, 2012 at 2:12 amI know, I love it too :) I noticed you put it in soups too, I’ll have to try that. Thanks for visiting, I love your blog!