Quinoa Stir Fry
As promised, I made some quinoa stir fry, or quinoa fried “rice.” It really did taste just like fried rice, and it was quite satisfying! You may ask, why not just use rice instead of quinoa? But unlike rice, which doesn’t have much nutritional value, quinoa has lots of protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron.
And, it pretty much just soaks up whatever flavor you put on it. As you’ll see in the recipe, the sauce measurements are approximations. You can add more or less depending on how it tastes to you. Avoid dirty-old-tree-branch-taste and don’t be afraid to add a little extra soy sauce! My boo-friend Nate, who loves to hate on quinoa, enjoyed this dish and couldn’t really speak ill of quinoa anymore. Huzzah!
QUINOA STIR FRY
1 cup quinoa, strained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1 large carrot, diced
1 medium broccoli bunch, cut into florets
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 green onions, green and white parts, sliced
1 cup frozen peas
3/4 – 1 cup bean sprouts
2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce
3 tablespoons gluten-free teriyaki sauce
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauerkraut
1. Rinse the quinoa with water, straining it in a mesh strainer. Cook in water according to the instructions on the package.
2. Chop all ingredients, and heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet on high heat. Once the oil is hot, toss the garlic, ginger, carrots, and broccoli on to cook. Stir constantly, letting this cook for about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and green onions and keep cooking for another minute or two.
3. Remove the veggies from the wok and place in a bowl. The broccoli will be tender and green, but not cooked completely through yet.
4. The quinoa should be cooked at this point. If it is, fluff it with a fork, letting some of the heat escape. Then spread the quinoa out on a large baking sheet to cool. Wait 3-5 minutes.
5. Heat a tablespoon of oil in the wok on high heat. Once the oil is hot, put the quinoa in the wok and spread it out, flattening it so that all of it evenly touches the surface of the wok. Wait about a minute or less, then flip it over and spread it out again, letting the other side cook. You can repeat this process until the quinoa browns. Always keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
6. Add the peas to the quinoa, spreading them out. Flip the quinoa back and forth, letting the peas cook.
7. Add the bowl of veggies back to the wok, and keep cooking on high heat, stirring constantly. Add the bean sprouts. Stir. Add the soy sauce and the teriyaki sauce, and stir thourougly. My measurements are approximations – add these sauces to taste. Ditto with the salt and pepper. Keep tasting the quinoa until it is to your liking.
Serve and enjoy!
