Garlic Quinoa Recipe And Salad:

Garlic Quinoa Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups QUINOA
• 3 cups WATER
• 3-4 cloves GARLIC (finely chopped)
• 2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
• SALT and PEPPER to taste
• and add chopped PARSLEY 

Method:

1. In an oven proof dish, add 3 cups of water.
2. Add in the olive oil, or melted butter.
3. Add the quinoa.
4. Add finely chopped garlic.
5. I find 3-4 cloves to be plenty (this is one of those rare dishes where I have found too much garlic to be too much).
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. If you want to add a little heat, add some finely chopped red chili. it adds a nice color, too or just a little cayenne pepper. 
8. Stir the ingredients together well and place top or foil covering over the baking dish.
9. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 minutes.
10. No attention to the dish is required while baking.
11. After 90 minutes, remove the dish from the oven, uncover and let set for a few minutes.
12. Fluff with a fork and serve.
13. It's a great side dish for meat, fish, and vegetarian meals.
14. Any leftovers can be used to make quick quinoa salads.
15. Give this Garlic Quinoa Recipe a try.

Best Quinoa Salad Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups COOKED QUINOA
• 1 15 oz can BLACK BEANS
• 10-15 sliced CHERRY TOMATOES
• 1 AVOCADO 
• ½ diced YELLOW BELL PEPPER
• 3-5 chopped GREEN ONIONS
• ¼ cup chopped, pickled JALAPENO 
• ½ cup chopped CILANTRO
• 1 LEMON ...juice and zest (or sub a lime)
• 2 Tbsp OLIVE OIL
• SALT and PEPPER to taste

Method:

1. Cook up the quinoa just like rice:
2. 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.  Fluff the quinoa and then set aside uncovered to cool.
3. while the quinoa cools, prepare the veggies:  
4. Dice ½ a yellow bell pepper --or any color pepper-- but if you're like me and you're making a corn-free southwest quinoa salad, then using a yellow pepper will make your quinoa salad  more lovely to look at.
5. Slice some cherry tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes have a great flavor, and the hardiness of the tiny tomato makes it the perfect choice for a salad.
6. Remove and mince the zest from 1 small lemon, and then slice the lemon in half.
7. Chop up some green onions, and cilantro.
8. If you like a little heat, chop up some pickled jalapeno, too, and reserve a Tbsp of the jalapeno pickling juice for added kick and flavor.
9. When the quinoa cools, add 2 cups of the cooked quinoa to a large mixing bowl.
10. Rinse and drain the black beans and add them to the bowl.
11. Add the yellow pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, cilantro, lemon zest, olive oil, juice from half the lemon, and salt and pepper.
12. Mix ingredients thoroughly.
13. Add tomato.
14. Slice avocado and add to salad.
15. Take the remaining lemon half and squeeze its juice over the cut avocado, this will preserve the vibrancy of the avocado.
16. Gently mix the salad and serve.  
17. It tastes great on it's own, as a healthy side dish, or serve over a bed of fresh greens for a super salad topping.
18. Give healthy southwest quinoa salad recipe a try.

Tips For Quinoa:

Quinoa is a terrific ingredient to incorporate into your diet for many reasons, here are a few:

1) It is a complete protein (provides all essential amino acids).

2) High in fiber and nutrition.

3) High in magnesium and iron.

4) Is low on the Glycemic Index, making it a good choice for blood sugar regulation.

5) it can easily be substituted for rice in many recipes.