If you’re restricted to a gluten-free diet, Quinoa will quickly become one of your best friends. It’s rich grain flavors bring a bit more to the table than traditional rice (which is naturally gluten free, but often contaminated with gluten when produced by major manufacturers). Texture wise, quinoa offers something akin to a spongy whole grain base that can either stand alone as a pasta-like grain or work well in a taco/burrito filling.
This recipe (originally found on Epicurious) requires no tweaking, is VERY easy to make (especially with a rice cooker), and has rapidly become one of my standard dishes. By the time the quinoa has finished cooking (about 20 minutes), you’ve had ample time to dice all of the ingredients, prepare the butter-based seasoning, and heat up your black beans. Then it’s just a matter of mixing everything together and serving! It’s a great long-day-of-work recipe.
A few things to note:
1) Be careful with which black beans you buy. Certain seasoned black beans may contain gluten. I found BPA-Free canned black beans in Whole Foods by a company called Eden. Their website certifies these beans gluten free. http://www.edenfoods.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=21_32&products_id=102979
2) I usually need two bowls of this recipe to feel full. I’d recommend doubling it if you plan to serve two or three people. It holds very well, and is a great option for refrigerated left-overs!
The Original Recipe:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-and-Tomato-Quinoa-238939
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I use Canola Oil for a healthier alternative)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 (14- to 15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Whisk together lime zest and juice, butter, oil, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
Wash quinoa in 3 changes of cold water in a bowl, draining in a sieve each time.
Cook quinoa in a medium pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespoon salt for 2 quarts water), uncovered, until almost tender, about 10 minutes. Drain in sieve, then set sieve in same pot with 1 inch of simmering water (water should not touch bottom of sieve). Cover quinoa with a folded kitchen towel, then cover sieve with a lid (don’t worry if lid doesn’t fit tightly) and steam over medium heat until tender, fluffy, and dry, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat and remove lid. Let stand, still covered with towel, 5 minutes.
Add quinoa to dressing and toss until dressing is absorbed, then stir in remaining ingredients and salt and pepper to taste.
BUCKWHEAT 