More Gluten-Free Quinoa

Quinoa with black beans and jicama, originally uploaded by A Gluten Free Guide.

As mentioned in my previous post on Sante Fe Style Quinoa, quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is one of my post-celiac discoveries. It is an ancient South American grain that has higher protein content than most grains.

After experimenting with a mushroom quinoa pilaf, I decided to do my own version of Candle Café’s quinoa salad. I used red quinoa for the first time in this recipe. I didn’t find the taste difference appreciable, so use whichever version of quinoa you have on hand. If you have a hard time finding jicama, just substitute something else with a little bit of crunch. Celery would provide a nice balance to the texture of the dish.

Make sure to rinse the uncooked grains well under cold running water to wash away the bitter-tasting resin.

Quinoa Salad with black beans and jicama

2 cups gluten-free chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well under cold running water
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup diced jicama
A handful of chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium saucepan, combine the broth, quinoa, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and toss with a fork. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.
Add the remaining ingredients to the quinoa mixture, tossing well to combine. Add salt and pepper to season as desired. Serve at room temperature.

If you’ve cooked with quinoa before, what are your favorite recipes? Shauna recommends pairing it with bacon and eggs. GF By the Bay uses garlic, kale and pinenuts in her quinoa pilaf. Heidi makes a big quinoa bowl with nuts, asparagus and garlic. It makes a great canvas for so many different flavors.