Name This Food: Keen-wah!

Well, folks, it had to happen eventually.

Remember last time on Name This Food! when I asked you what this was?

Well, silly me, I had clean forgotten that I'd already asked you about this particular foodstuff before, albeit with a different picture.

See, it comes in all different colours. It's Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah), a species of goosefoot (Chenopodium),a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal rather than a true cereal, or grain, as it is not a member of the true grass family. As a chenopod, quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds.

Here's the link to the previous article....

http://foodofjeff.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/quino-wha.html

And here's a recipe for...

ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST AND SWEET POTATOES WITH QUINOA

ingredients

2 chicken breasts split (bone-in, skin off or on, either one works)

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in large dice

1 package quinoa (about 1 cup)

2-4 tablespoons fresh basil

1/4 large red onion, diced VERY small

salt & pepper

1/2 cup olive oil, to use in 3 places

3 tablespoons mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

optional: handful of dried cranberries or raisins

optional: handful of toasted almonds

instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Coat chicken with olive oil then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Do the same for the sweet potatoes. Put them on one large baking sheet or two medium size sheets. Bake for 35 minutes, until chicken is golden on outside and juices run clear. Flip potatoes halfway through; they’re done when the edges look brown and the inside is soft. When the chicken is cooked, let it sit for another 5 minutes before cutting into bite-size pieces (whatever that is for your brood.)

While the chicken and sweet potatoes are in the oven, prepare the quinoa. 

Then make the mustard sauce. It’s mostly mustard and the main job is to add flavor. If your family doesn’t like mustard definitely don’t add it. But do put in some flavor element that’s usually a hit; for example, if your crew enjoys curry, that would be a delicious way to go (use coconut milk and curry powder). I use a 2-cup glass measuring cup with a spout so I can pour it out easily. Into the cup, mix mustard, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, diced onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.

Put everything together into a big serving bowl: sweet potatoes, chicken, quinoa, mustard sauce. Mix gently and top with any combination of fresh basil, cranberries, toasted almond slivers, olive oil and salt and pepper.

 

Source: Foodlets.com

And how about some ALMOND CRANBERRY QUINOA COOKIES? Just in time for the holiday season!

Makes about 2 dozen

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup cooked quinoa, cooled

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered unsalted almonds

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, both sugars, and honey in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and extracts; beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time. Stir in quinoa, oats, cranberries, and almonds. Spoon dough in 2-tablespoon portions onto prepared sheets, spacing 1" apart.

Bake cookies until golden, 12-15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool. DO AHEAD: Store cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for 1 day, or freeze for up to 1 month.

Source: Epicurious.com

So... what's next?

NAME THIS FOOD!