MOROCCAN QUINOA

Bring this dish to your next potluck – people will be raving about it!

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Serves: 6

 Ingredients

• 2 cups quinoa, uncooked
• 3 ½ cups water
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 1 cup raw almonds, chopped
• ½ cup Thompson raisins or dried cranberries
• 1-2 Tbsp mild curry powder (or hot curry powder if you like some spice)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp each turmeric, ground cardamom or ground coriander
• 1 tsp sea salt (or more, to taste)
• ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 4 cups baby spinach (organic preferably – it’s on the Dirty Dozen)
• 1 small (14oz) can Eden Organic Garbanozo beans or 1 cup soaked & boiled dried garbanzo beans(optional)

Preparation

– In a medium sized pot, cook 2 cups quinoa in 3 ½ cups water (and a pinch of salt) for 20 mins. Uncover when cooked, and allow to cool.

– Heat oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, and sauté onions for 2-3 minutes.

– Then, add the sliced carrots and sauté for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often.

– Add almonds, raisins, spices & salt, and sauté 5 minutes more.

– Add cooked quinoa and peas (and garbanzo beans, if using), stir to coat ingredients evenly. (Add 1-2 Tbsp water, if quinoa is really dry, and/or 1 more Tbsp oil, if you think it needs it. You can also add more curry powder, if needed).

– Add in spinach and mix together well to wilt the spinach a bit (water from spinach will also help moisten the quinoa). Season with salt & pepper, and adjust spices to your liking.

– Serve and enjoy this dish – it’s a good one to add into the weekly dinner cycle!