Quinoa with Asparagus and Mushrooms

Quinoa is a great side dish. By itself it can be pretty bland, so I seasoned it using vegetable stock and added asparagus spears and beech mushrooms. The dish pairs wonderfully with chicken or tofu. I could eat several plates of it without worrying about calories!



It's a great, healthy alternative to pasta or rice. Quinoa is incredibly versatile, and you can pair it with pretty much any combination of protein and vegetables. Plus, it's gluten free!

Quinoa Patties (Galette de Quinoa Recipe)

Quinoa is my go-to ingredient whenever I'm preparing a light, gluten free recipe. I've used it in the past in side dishes and appetizers. I've always wanted to use quinoa to make a vegetarian main course, and today I think I've accomplished that.

I created little patties flavored with carrots, crimini mushrooms, eggplant and blue cheese. I bound them using a combination of lecithin and xanthan gum. You could always use eggs instead.  Making quinoa patties is simple. The filling should be moist and the outer part of the bite should have a crisp crunch. And after a healthy, light dish like this one, you can splurge on a decadent dessert. At least, that's what I tell myself!

Potato Blini with Quinoa and Smoked Salmon

Potato blini appetizers would make an attractive addition on any Thanksgiving table. The true beauty of this dish, though, is its flavor. Atop each potato blin I placed a generous portion of quinoa, a caviar look-alike, which I mixed with homemade tapenade for added flavor. I topped the mixture with a dollop of crème fraîche, a piece of smoked salmon (optional) and garnished the little bites with dill.

Unlike cutlets (Indian version of the potato bite), potato blini contain eggs and flour (no bread), so the appetizers don't fall apart when your guests pick them up. The result is an edible piece of art that is almost too pretty for your guests to eat. 

Quinoa and Brown Rice Side Dish Recipe

Cooking quinoa is as easy as cooking rice: count one part uncooked quinoa to 2 parts water. However, brown rice takes a little longer to cook, so I parboiled the brown rice first and then added the quinoa for the remainder of the cooking time. Since quinoa is pretty bland by itself, I added a little kick using a paste made from tomato paste and Serrano peppers.

The addition of grilled summer vegetables and garbanzo beans completed the meal. I served the quinoa and brown rice medley as a side dish with escalope de dinde (turkey scallopini).

Vegetarian Quinoa Appetizers

Quinoa is a grain that is perfect for a gluten free diet; however it's very bland by itself. We had a very dear friend over for lunch this weekend and she is allergic to gluten, so I was determined to figure out a satisfying way to prepare quinoa. I ended up flavoring it with parsley and a medley of vegetables and seasonings such as corn, artichokes, eggplant, button mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, French green beans, capers, bell peppers and gorgonzola. This allows the quinoa to act as a palette for the other flavors.

I served it in a large bowl for brunch, but I also set some aside for something a little more special. I placed mounds of the quinoa on gluten free crackers. The result is a fancy, tasty and unique vegetarian, gluten free appetizer that everyone can enjoy.