Thursday, March 11, 2010

One-Pot Quinoa with Zucchini

Being mid afternoon, I was pressed for time to conjure up something for dinner; and it had to be something to take on-the-go as there would be no time to stop for Vietnamese take-out. What could I make in a short amount of time, that would be filling like rice, but didn't take an hour to cook, and maybe even add veggies at some point to contact steam? I didn't know - there was no book on this one, just a gut feeling. Quinoa is fast and filling, and forgiving if I open the lid at some point and toss vegetables in. So I did it, it worked, and it keeps well in an empty (clean) take-out container.

1 cup Quinoa
3 cups water
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Old Bay
½ teaspoon cracked pepper
1 zucchini, sliced
½ onion, chopped
1 teaspoon oil (canola works)
2 tablespoons Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

In a medium pot, combine the quinoa, 2 cups water, onion powder, Old Bay, and pepper, then drizzle oil on top. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then add vegetables & vinegar plus the additional cup of water- one may need to add a bit at a time and check now and then (I used 2 cups in the beginning, and had to add up to another cup to account for the dryness) and just slightly stir in. Cover, and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are to your liking [no peaking!]

This turned out well and surprisingly it makes a decent main dish. White wine would also make a good substitute for the last 1/2 cup of water or so. The onions will end up lightly steamed, so if you like browned onions, pan-fry in a tablespoon of oil for a few minutes before adding to the recipe.

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