Quinoa with Chickpeas and Spinach

gluten-free grains quinoa recipes Aug 22, 2019

I wish that I could take credit for this dish because it is Delish!

This recipe is one of my favorites from the cookbook "Greens Glorious Greens."

It may seem complicated to make at first but once you get it down, you’ll be able to make it in a snap!

What’s Amazing About This Dish?

Quinoa--Pronounced “Keen-wah” (not “kwin-oh-ah”) Quinoa was considered to be sacred by the Inca’s. It has all of the essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein and is gluten-free.

Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans)--High in fiber and protein chickpeas are great for those of us who want to keep our blood sugar levels stable.

Spinach--Here’s an Interesting Fact--Despite what Popeye said about Spinach being high in iron, it isn’t.

Why did he mislead us?

Before his time, a typist misplaced a decimal point, making spinach look almost as good as iron fillings.

But…it is great to keep our immune systems strong and inflammation down (make sure to get organic spinach, otherwise you’ll be eating a ton of pesticides…ech…).

Quinoa with Chickpeas and Spinach

[Serves 4]

1 cup quinoa

1 cup water

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Herbamare Vegetable seasoning salt

Zest from 2 organic oranges

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup organic raisins

1 cup cooked chickpeas

1 1/2 pounds spinach leaves that have been trimmed, washed, drained and dried

Sea salt to taste

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 orange, cut into wedges

Rinse the quinoa well and drain in a fine-mesh sieve. Combine water and orange juice (to equal 1 3/4 cups) and bring to a boil in a 1 1/2 or 2-quart saucepan.

Add the salt, orange zest, and the rinsed quinoa. Return to the boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes to fluff up.

While the quinoa is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. Add the onions and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, until they have softened and started to brown a bit. Add garlic and sauté until golden.

Add raisins, chickpeas, and chopped spinach. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or just until the spinach has wilted. Adjust heat if necessary. Drain any excess water after cooking the spinach.

Season to taste with salt.

To serve, fold the vegetables into the hot, cooked quinoa. Stir in cinnamon. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and orange wedges for a final squeeze of orange juice.