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Spanish Quinoa
Spanish Quinoa with Beans and Salsa
I was hungry for Spanish Rice, but I wanted a twist, hence, Spanish Quinoa! Mostly it was because I wanted a quicker cooking meal, and quinoa is done in half the time of brown rice. To round it out I topped it with slow cooked beans, fresh salsa and cilantro. For beans I used the phenomenal Ranch Gordo Vaquero bean. Alright, here’s how it goes:
SPANISH QUINOA
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 dried chilies
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
1-2 jalapenos, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 4 oz can sliced olives
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
squirt of Bragg’s
hot sauce to taste
Instructions:
- Prepare quinoa by bringing water to a boil and adding quinoa and dried chilies. Lower heat and simmer for 20 min. Set off heat for 10 min. Remove chilies and fluff.
- While quinoa cooks saute onion, garlic, and green pepper in a little water for about 5 min.
- Add tomatoes, chilies, and Bragg’s and mix well. Add cooked quinoa and mix again.
- Add remaining ingredients, mix well and cook gently for 15-20 min.
Serving suggestions:
- Top a bed of shredded greens
- Use as an enchilada filling
- Top with beans
- Top with salsa
- Fill a tortilla
Marathon Millet and Mung Beans
Braised Greens, Mung Beans and Millet
Mung beans are a funny little green bean. They are the basis for the white bean sprouts in many Asian dishes. They are also common in a hulled and split form in Indian dal. They are reputed to be easy to digest, and I like them, but I hardly ever come across any recipes for them in their unhulled and whole form. One of the few I have found came from a recipe in an old cookbook for Kenyan beans. Now the legendary status of Kenyan runners and the plant based diet they consume immediately attracted me. I can’t find many Kenyan recipes, so I don’t know if mung beans are common or not, but I combined a mung bean stew with two African staples, millet and spicy cooked greens. This is definitely a plant strong recipe that might not make me run exactly like a Kenyan, but I am hoping that it will power me through my marathon this December.
MARATHON MILLET AND MUNG BEANS WITH SPICY GREENS
Ingredients:
1 cup mung beans, rinsed
4 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 jalapenos, minced
1 each red and green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup millet
2 cups water
1 teaspoon seasoning blend like Mrs. Dash or Spike
1 bunch kale, collards or chard, chopped
1/4 cup water
hot sauce to taste
Instructions:
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil and add mung beans. Lower heat and simmer for 30 min.
- After mung beans have cooked for 30 min. add vegetables and cook until done, about 30 min.
- In a separate saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add millet and seasoning blend. Lower heat and simmer for 30 min. When done, let rest off heat for 10 min.
- Braise greens in water, covered until done, about 10 min. Optional: greens may be braised with chopped peppers, onions and/or tomatoes. Season to taste with Bragg’s and hot sauce.
To Serve:
Fluff millet and scoop into bowl. Top with a scoop of mung beans, then top off with greens. Add hot sauce to taste. Enjoy, and run faster.
