Mexican Quinoa

By cmschnettler

Ingredients

• 1/4 c olive or sunflower oil
• 1/4 c Earth Balance vegan butter
• 2 c quinoa (or long grain rice) thoroughly rinsed until water runs clear
• 1 small leek or onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeds and stems removed, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 14.5 can whole tomatoes, pureed OR 1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 1/2 c vegetable broth or water
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp sea salt

Preparation

Step 1

Heat earth balance and olive oil in a large heavy cast iron pot over medium high heat.

Add quinoa (or rice) and stir constantly until it begins to brown.

Add leeks and garlic and stir 2-3 minutes.

Add jalapeño and red pepper and stir 2-3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and stir 2-3 minutes.

Add water or broth, fresh cilantro, cumin and sea salt. Stir well, reduce heat to medium low and cover with a slight air escape. Do not stir rice (or quinoa) again until all the water is absorbed (about 20-30 minutes).

Once water is absorbed, uncover, stir and cook 5 more minutes uncovered, until fluffy.

Note: You can add other ingredients to this recipe for a more complete meal such as corn kernels or cooked beans (I’m a fan of adding chick peas) right before adding the broth/water. You may want to adjust the seasonings to compensate for the new ingredients.