Quinoa (pronouced keen-wah) is an excellent food choice for vegetarians who want to incorporate nourishing traditional foods in their diet. Many think it is a grain but it is actually the fruit of an herb plant and it is related to spinach. It is also a complete protein, gluten free, and a very healthy choice for those who want to up their protein intake and avoid becoming a “grainarian”. Combining quinoa with pomegranate gives it a unique and flavorful twist and this dish could easily make an appearance at a healthy Thanksgiving or holiday dinner.
Just remember that when cooking with quinoa make sure to rinse the seeds thoroughly in water before cooking so that you rinse away the natural chemcials called saponins. They are mildly toxic and quite bitter so you will want to rinse well or even soak for a few minutes, changing the rinse water at least once.
Pomegranate Quinoa
1 C Quinoa
1 C pomegranate juice
1 C orange juice
1/2 C water
1/3 cup pecans, chopped
1 C pomegranate seeds
3/4 C dried cranberries
1/4 C feta cheese crumbles
4-5 basil leaves, minced
Salt an pepper to taste
In a saucepan cook quinoa, juices, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is cooked and juices are absorbed (12-15 minutes). Turn heat off and let sit with lid on for 5 minutes. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and allow to cool. When the quinoa is cooled, add remaining ingredients and mix. Serve and enjoy!
Related article: 10 Ways to Cook Quinoa
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Oh, I LOVE Quinoa – and this recipe sounds delicious.
Love the photo too!
Diana
Two of my favorite things – quinoa and pomegranate! Can’t wait to try!
I’ve never cooked with pomegranate now have we had quinoa. I hear it is very healthy. Thanks for the recipe to give it a try.
Tried this recipe and it turned out great. Didn’t have any nuts in the house and didn’t want to go get any so I made it without nuts, and used Craisins instead of cranberries. However, the quinoa absorbed the coloring from the pomegranate juice so don’t expect to have a white quinoa once it’s cooked. Overall, it turned out great! Even Hubz raved at how good it was and he’s normally a bit picky at trying something totally new. Loved the touch of salty that was added by the feta! Great recipe!
We also tried this yummy recipe for Thanksgiving. I enjoyed the flavors but it looked NOTHING like the lovely picture above. As Lilia said, it took on color from the juices. Also, we substituted goat cheese for feta, which melted in (I don’t think my husband let it cool long as it ended up rushed). The end result was not appealing to look at – gray in color. But the taste was surprising and very nice, with lots of crunch from the pomegranate seeds and pecans. I couldn’t convince most of my kids to even try it, though! But I’m glad to have a very healthy, yummy dish for myself!