Quinoa

Like everyone else these days, I’m in search of healthy and tasty grains to feed to my family. Quinoa, a “pseudocereal” that originates in the Andes mountains, is high in protein, iron and fiber, and while it’s high on carbs, it’s still better than pasta or white rice. The grain also has the advantage of looking like couscous when cooked, and having the consistency of soft pasta, something that my kids like. Alas, its nutty and earthy flavor is not very pleasant, and my kids were not happy with it.
I’ve made it plain before, but yesterday I followed this epicurious.com recipe for Lemon-Scented Quinoa . OK, I didn’t really follow the recipe – I eyedball the olive oil (and ended up putting too much), just boiled the quinoa without steaming it after (I don’t think that made any difference, the consistency was perfect), I used lime juice instead of lemon and skipped the lemon peel. Still, I doubt that the changes really made that much of a difference. i think quinoa may just not be for us.
I served the quinoa alongside Roast Pork Loin with Garlic and Rosemary. The pork tasted great, the flavor permeated throughout the meat but, despite the fact that I checked on the pork every couple of minutes, I still managed to overcook it and it was dry. So I don’t think I’ll try making pork roasts again either.
Tonight on the menu Barbecued Tri-Tip with Caramelized Red Onions and steamed broccoli. I don’t think I’ll serve a starch. Hope it turns out well – if so, I’ll copy the recipe here as well.