Quinoa Salad

You might be asking, "What the H is quinoa?" No worries, until about 6 months ago, I had no idea what it was either. Quinoa is a grain. You cook it like rice, but to me, it has the texture more like couscous. Some people even compare it to a cereal like oatmeal. It's a great alternative if you are gluten intolerant or trying to avoid other grains like wheat, barley or pasta.

This was actually my first time making quinoa, but I loved it. Even my skeptical husband enjoyed it. Look for more quinoa recipes in the near future. This recipe has been altered from an Ellie Krieger recipe. I prefer craisins to the raisins she calls for, but use whichever one you prefer.

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 and 3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth (water is fine, but I like the added flavor of using a broth)
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup craisins
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to the plate, reserving the oil.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the pine nuts, garlic, reserved oil, parsley, craisins and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss.