Pineapple Quinoa

Scot says "this is everything I like."  10/10.  He loves the sweet and savory thing.  He loves quinoa, pineapple, edamame and red peppers (every time he eats a red pepper, he seems to be shocked at how good it is).  Oh yeah, and he loves ginger.  

I thought this tasted a little bit like fried rice.  And I loved the cashew nuts which have a really meaty quality in this dish (and they aren't too crunchy...they are pretty soft as far as nuts go).  Nuts!  Go nuts!

Pineapple Quinoa

from Annie’s Eats

1 cup quinoa

1 cup pineapple juice

1 cup cold water

2 tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. soy sauce

1/3 cup raw cashew pieces (unsalted)

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cup cooked edamame

2 scallions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1-inch piece of ginger root, peeled and grated or finely diced

1/2 of a medium pineapple, cored, peeled and diced

1/2 cup loosely packed basil, finely chopped

Lime wedges, for serving

Combine the quinoa, pineapple juice, 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for about 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat, let stand covered for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff with a fork.

Toast the cashews in a large skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to the stove and increase the heat to medium-high. Heat the vegetable oil. Stir in the bell pepper and edamame and stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until the bell pepper is slightly softened. Stir in the scallions, garlic,

ginger, and serrano and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the pineapple, quinoa and basil. Mix well to combine. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and continue to cook for a few minutes more until everything is well blended and heated through. Serve garnished with lime wedges, if desired.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  10/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  1/5