Figuring out what to cook for dinner isn’t always so easy, especially when it comes to side dishes. OK, the grocery store had a sale on cornish game hens, so you’re making roasted cornish game hens. Or maybe you have some pork chops in your freezer that you need to cook. Perhaps you looked in your pantry and landed on chickpea burgers. Protein, decided!
But what should you serve with those main dishes when you’re sick of mashed potatoes, rice, roasted Brussels sprouts and broccoli? For those nights when you want something a little different but still crowd-pleasing, consider cooking quinoa and using it as the base for a salad. If you’ve seen quinoa in the store but aren’t sure how to cook with this grain, here’s the rundown (or skip straight to the recipe).
What is Quinoa?
Pronounced KEEN-wah, quinoa is one of the “ancient grains” alongside the likes of barley, farro, freekeh, millet and spelt. Though quinoa has just recently become trendy in the United States, this superfood has been eaten in South America for thousands of years. In fact, the Incas called quinoa “the mother of all grains.” Though it’s packed with protein and its own host of benefits, quinoa is frequently used as a swap for rice or pasta.
