Quinoa Stirfry Pilaf

I made this quinoa dish on a whim last weekend, and loved it so much I thought it deserved a blog post. If you are not used to making quinoa then this may be a good starter recipe or at the least will show you you can use what veggies you have laying around to make something special with quinoa. It is a great dish to pass at gatherings and not to mention packed with protein, vitamins and minerals so a great addition to the diet if you are avoiding animal proteins for allergies or other reasons.

I added in carrots, broccoli, and kale, but you could easily add in some zucchini, peppers or spinach depending on what you got. The fresh chopped cilantro is a great topper, but if you want to add some crushed peanuts, scrambled eggs, or even add in the additional meat protein you have yourself a main dish. Quinoa is great this time of year because it is not an overly heavy grain and mixes so well with fresh or cooked veggies from the garden or farmer's market. It also is great warm, but also great cooled off or packed for a picnic. When spring and summer roll around I find much more inspiration for quinoa dishes in my life and this is just one of them :) Happy cooking and much inspiration as you take the steps for hope and healing in your life.

Quinoa Stirfry Pilaf 
with Carrots, Broccoli, Raisins, and Cilantro Recipe
{gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut and seed-free, vegan}

2 small sweet onions finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 TB of finely grated fresh ginger
1 cup of finely chopped kale
2-3 TB of olive or avocado oil

2 cups of dry quinoa
4 cups of water (or 2 cups veggie broth, 2 cups water for more flavors)
1/3 cup of coconut aminoes (you can use tamari, aminos or soy sauce here too if soy is not an issue)
1 cup of shredded carrot
1 ts. of sea salt (more or less depending on taste preference)
1/4-1/2 ts. of black pepper
1/2 cup of organic raisins
1-2 cups of fresh or frozen broccoli pieces
1-2 extra cup of veggies: peas, zucchini, peppers, or green beans

1 cup of freshly chopped cilantro for topping
can also top with toasted almonds, cashews or peanuts in you prefer

In my humble opinion, the best way to make a quinoa pilaf is starting by sauteing the onion, garlic and spices in oil first then add in the dry quinoa and saute that for a few minutes and then add in the water/broth and wet ingredients if there is some. Then in this dish once you do that you can cook on medium heat until it comes to a boil, then turn on low and add in the rest of the veggies, and cover and cook until the water is gone. Then turn off the heat completely and let sit for 15-20 minutes, then open the cover and fluff it and pour it into a serving bowl- this is when you can top with fresh cilantro or other favorite toppings. It is that simple. If you want to add in some scrambled eggs or grilled chicken to the final dish then by all means :)

Hope you give this simple dish a try to see how you like it, and maybe inspire your own quinoa creations depending what you got on hand in the pantry and fridge and what you can forage from the garden or market. Happy creating and much love, xoxo