Citric Quinoa Salad

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous.
According to the American Merriam-Webster dictionary, the primary pronunciation is disyllabic with the accent on the first syllable (ˈkiːnwɑː/ KEEN-wah)
Most boxed/pre-packaged quinoa has already been pre-rinsed for convenience, and cooking instructions therefore suggest only a brief rinse before cooking, if at all. If quinoa has not been pre-rinsed, the first step is to remove the saponins, a process that requires either soaking the grain in water for a few hours, then changing the water and resoaking, or rinsing the quinoa in ample running water for several minutes in either a fine strainer or a cheesecloth. Removal of the saponin helps with digestion; the soapy nature of the compound makes it act as a laxative.One cooking method is to treat quinoa much like rice, bringing two cups (or less) of water to a boil with one cup of grain, covering at a low simmer and cooking for 10–15 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ looks like a tiny curl and should have a slight bite to it (like al dente pasta). As an alternative, one can use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa, treating it just like white rice (for both cooking cycle and water amounts).Vegetables and seasonings can also be added to make a wide range of dishes. Chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted for water during cooking, adding flavor. It is also suited to vegetable pilafs, complementing bitter greens like kale.Quinoa can serve as a high-protein breakfast food mixed with honey, almonds, or berries; it is also sold as a dry product, much like corn flakes. Quinoa flour can be used in wheat-free and gluten-free baking.Quinoa may be germinated in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content.In fact, quinoa has a notably short germination period: Only 2–4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, e.g., 12 hours with wheat.This process, besides its nutritional enhancements, softens the grains, making them suitable to be added to salads and other cold foods.

Source: Wikipedia

Lately I have been seeing a lot of food bloggers posting about Quinoa recipes. Out of curiosity, I tried couple of recipes and they were really good. It might be a very good option for vegetarians since, they claim this is the only vegetarian food which has complete protein, meaning, it has all 9 amino acids. Moreover, it is gluten free and can be digested easily.

Today's recipe is a cold citric salad and you can be as creative as you want with the ingredients. I have tried this salad in Whole Foods. So just by taste, I decided the ingredients and it came out pretty good. You can adjust the flavors according to your taste buds. So today I am not going to be very specific about the measurements. Just taste and adjust as you go.

Ingredients: 1. Quinoa - 1 cup 2. Water - 2 to 3 cups  3.Turmeric - a pinch 4. Chopped celery 5. Roasted cashew 6. Raisins 5.Juice of 1/2 a lemon 6. Salt and pepper to taste 7. Olive oil - 1 tablespoon 8. Parsley Method: 1. Boil 2 to 3 cups of water. Add turmeric and quinoa and let quioa cook until all the water evaporates. 2. Fluff it up with a fork and keep it aside until it is not too hot. 3. Mix the rest of the ingredients with the cooked quinoa.

I am delighted to post this recipe to the Serve it Raw event hosted by Krithi and Denny.

Broccoli Salad with Low Fat Yogurt Dressing

Broccoli is high in vitamin C, as well as dietary fiber; it also contains multiple nutrients with potent anti-cancer properties, such as diindolylmethane and small amounts of selenium. A single serving provides more than 30 mg of Vitamin C and a half-cup provides 52 mg of Vitamin C. The 3,3'-Diindolylmethane found in broccoli is a potent modulator of the innate immune response system with anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer activity. Broccoli also contains the compound glucoraphanin, which can be processed into an anti-cancer compound sulforaphane, though the benefits of broccoli are greatly reduced if the vegetable is boiled. Broccoli is also an excellent source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells. Broccoli has the highest levels of carotenoids in the brassica family. It is particularly rich in lutein and also provides beta-carotene.

  

^{Source: Wikipedia}

I had a slight aversion towards broccoli initially. But knowing the health benefits of this green vegetable, I try to include it in my cooking very often. I guess I can never eat raw broccoli. The trick is to blanch the broccoli for not more than 2 minutes. This will take out the raw taste of broccoli and brings more cooked taste.

Ingredients:


1. Broccoli - 1 head
2. Raisins - 2 tablespoons
3. Almonds - 2 tablespoons
4. Toasted sesame seeds - 1 tablespoon


For the dressing:


1. Lowfat Yogurt - 1 cup (I used no fat and it tasted good)
2. Sesame Oil - 1 tablespoon
3. Salt - to taste
4. Chilli flakes - 1 teaspoon(or more if desired)




Method:


1. Blanch the broccoli florets no more than 2 minutes. The broccoli should still be firm but the raw smell of the broccoli will be gone.
2. Let it cool down. Sprinkle raisins, almonds and toasted sesame seeds over it.
3. For the dressing, just mix all the ingredients under "For the dressing" section to a smooth paste.


Mix the dressing to the broccoli salad just before serving. You can also add shredded carrots to it.


I am happy to send this entry to Salad Spred.

Chick Pea Salad with Cilantro Pesto dressing

Last week, for a couple of days, the temperature here was hovering around 90's. During such days, we like for something light and cold and this salad was perfect for lunch with the cilantro pesto dressing. Pesto is traditionally prepared with basil and pine nuts as its main ingredient. I am not a big fan of basil and also did not have pine nuts in hand. So I decided to experiment with cilantro and walnuts and it was a very good combination with the chick pea salad.


Best thing about this recipe is there is no cooking involved except for pressure cooking the chick peas. What a great perk is that on a hot summer day!

Ingredients:
1. Chick peas - 1 cup
2. Celery - 2 stems
3. Red Bell pepper - half (Chopped)
4. Lettuce - 1/2 head (chopped)
Ingredients for Cilantro Pesto dressing:

1. Cilantro - 1 cup (Tightly packed)
2. Walnuts - 5 0r 6
3. Lemon Juice - 1 teaspoon
4. Garlic - 1 small
5. Salt and pepper - to taste

6. Olive oil - 1 tablespoon

Method:

1. Soak the chick peas overnight and cook it in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles or until soft but still firm. If you are using canned chick peas you can ignore this step. Drain the chick peas and keep it aside

2. Clean and cut celery and bell pepper and mix it with chcikpeas. You can also add other vegetables.

3. For the pesto dressing, clean the cilantro. Chop it roughly.

4. Place all the ingredients except olive oil mentioned under Ingredients for Cilantro Pesto dressing and pulse it couple of times. Slowly add olive oil till you get a creamy texture.

5. Combine, chcikpeas, celery and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add the cilantro pesto dressing to the chickpea salad. Mix well till the dressing coats the chick peas evenly.

Serve it over a bed of lettuce.


Note:


The cilantro dressing can be prepared ahead of time. It stays good in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.


I am sending this post to Taste Junction's Salad Spread  event.