April 09, 2010

Broccoli Quinoa

Broccoli,a vegetable which is available throughout the year was originally cultivated in Italy. The best way to cook this is stir-fry or steam because heavy cooking might destroy some of the anti oxidants in it. However it emits a sulfuric odor just like the cauliflower and cabbage while cooking so, for few people its not a favorite vegetable untilof course they are fully aware of the health benefits.
I don't want to go on and on with the amount of vitamins and minerals in it because I am sure every one knows that eating broccoli is good for health and its vibrant green color is a major clue that tells you how good it is for that body. But some of the interesting facts that I read about broccoli is the amount of calcium in one bunch is equal to one glass of milk. And looks like it also helps in promoting weight loss because its rich in fiber content and works wonders for digestive system. Now that's something to take note of. Just like the cauliflower, broccoli is a gas producing food so to reduce it, its is suggested to eat along with ginger or garlic.


Quinoa (pronounced as keen-wah) is not a grain; its a seed related to the spinach family which was originally from South America. It was a regular Incas diet. It is a delicious whole grain that's easy to digest and an excellent replacement for rice. Some of the nutritional fact about Quinoa are; they are high in amino acids, protein and calcium. It is found to be more satiating than wheat or rice, so helps in weight loss.
The coating of the saponin on the seeds gives it a bitter taste, so it needs to be washed before cooking. Basic method to cook is to boil 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water for 15 minutes. It absorbs all the water and the size of the seed will increase, with a tender and springy texture. Quinoa can be enjoyed as porridge for breakfast or salad with vegetable and many other items.

Ingredients:
2 cup Quinoa, cooked in 4 cups of water.
1 tbsp oil
1/2 lb broccoli floret
2 tsp dry or fresh oregano
1 tbsp chili paste
1/2 cup mint leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup roasted almond
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Method:
1. Heat oil in a wok and add chopped broccoli and cook until soft or for about 10 minutes.
2. Add oregano and chili paste.


3. In a food processor grind mint,garlic, Parmesan cheese and roasted almonds. Add water if needed.4. Add the grind paste to the wok and cook for another 5 minutes and finally add the cooked Quinoa. Sprinkle salt and pepper before serving.

COOK'S FILE:
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NOTE: Taste before adding salt because most cheese have salt in it.

14 comments:

Madhuri Krishna Bhat said...

Oh wow new for me. Like the 2nd photo with green cookware accompanied with the recipe.Awesome shot!
Day by day you going pro.

SathyaSridhar said...

wooow,,dear great explanation abt quinoa and brocoli quinoa looks perfect n delicious,,,,its good for the health,,

Nithya said...

Wow.. this is a new dish for me. Nice combo infact :) I love the green bowl. looks so cute :)

Sushma Mallya said...

quiet an interesting one...beautiful pics there...

Unknown said...

a new dish to me....a very healthy and nutritious dish...i love most the shots...they are so professional and an unusal kind of freshness is brushing in all the snaps....bravo....have to learn photography form u...

Ana Powell said...

Hi
Excellent recipe, even yesterday I`ve been shopping for quinoa.
Now that I`ve seen your dish, I am really looking forward to cook my own.
Excellent photos.
Have a great weekend x

Priya Suresh said...

Wat a healthy dish to enjoy...Very creative..

Sailaja Damodaran said...

Inyeresting way to eat Quinoa.......

Gita Jaishankar said...

Very interesting dish with quinoa...I have tried quinoa as a rice substitute...this is new to me...looks so colorful and delicious :)

Rekha shoban said...

interesting and wonderful click dear!

Anonymous said...

very innovative dish.do visit my blog when you find some time.following you.

Kanchana Radhakrishnan said...

a very healthy and nutritious dish

Rohini said...

Wow.. Thats a delicious dish.. Never have cooked Quinoa, but looks like it may be my key to lose a couple of KGs...
Thanks for dropping by, you too have a wonderful space here.. Will be back often :)

Kalai said...

What a way to use broccoli, I loved reading this post! Good info and definitely a great photograph!