Quinoa Paella
An ideal substitute for rice, bulgar or couscous, quinoa is versatile and can be enjoyed is your favorite recipes. For a nutty flavor, toast quinoa before cooking.
1/4 cup Wild Oats Organic Olive Oil
1 onion, chopped
2 minced garlic cloves or 1 tsp. minced garlic
1 1/2 cups Wild Oats Organic Quinoa, rinsed
1/8 tsp. saffron (or more to taste)
2 cups cooked chicken, cut in 1 to 2 inch pieces
1/2 pound chorizo or other sausage (optional)
4 oz. black olives
1 cup Wild Oats Organic Peas
3 cups Wild Oats Organic Chicken Broth
Salt and red pepper, to taste
2 sweet red peppers, sliced
6 large raw Wild Oats Shrimp (or more)
12 scrubbed clams, in shell
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium-sized pan, sauté onion and garlic in half the olive oil. Add quinoa and saffron, continue to sauté, stirring frequently. In a separate pan, sauté chicken and sausage in remaining olive oil until brown.
In a large casserole dish, mix together chicken, sausage, olives, peas, chicken stock and quinoa mixture. Add salt and red pepper, if desired.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all liquid. Add sweet red peppers, shrimp and clams. Cover and bake 10 additional minutes.
Other Quinoa Cooking Tips
Quinoa is an ideal substitute for rice, bulgar or couscous.
For added flavor, cook in chicken broth instead of water.
For a nutty flavor, toast quinoa before cooking. To toast, put quinoa in a non-stick saute pan with or without a small amount of oil. Heat to medium and stir constantly until golden brown in color. (It will pop while it toasts).
Create a simple and delicious side dish for any meal by adding any of the following to cooked quinoa: sautéed onions; green pepper; mushrooms; toasted almonds, peanuts or other nuts; raisins or chopped dates; chopped parsley, cilantro or other herbs.