Greek Style Grains
Serves: 0
Ingredients
1 ½ cups quinoa
Water
1 ¼ cup red onion, chopped
6 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1-2 heaping tablespoons of 1-3 different herbs of your choice
1 C lacinato or dino kale, chiffonade or minced
¾ cup feta (Bulgurian, French or Greek)
¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and quartered
¾ cup plum tomatoes (1 ½ plum tomatoes)
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 ½ lemons)
Directions
1. Rinse quinoa very well in strainer over running water until water runs clear.
2. Boil quinoa in enough salted water to cover by one inch for 10 minutes**. Drain quinoa in fine strainer and rinse under cold water.
3. Set strainer over a pan of boiling water without touching the water and steam quinoa, covered with an oven mitt and lid, until fluffy and dry, about 10 minutes. (Make sure you check the water level in saucepan and add water if necessary.)
4. While quinoa is cooking, sauté onions in olive oil over medium heat until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale and stir until cooked, about five minutes. Season with salt and add a little lemon juice (about 1 tsp.) to flavor the kale.
5. When quinoa is done cooking the grains should look distinct, not mushy, which is why steaming is so important. Place grains in bowl and add sautéed kale, tomatoes, olives and feta and mix.
6. Add lemon juice and pepper. Taste for saltiness, since feta is salty. Add sea salt to taste and drizzle with olive oil, mix and serve.
*I like mint and its other family members including rosemary (anti-inflammatory antioxidant, memory), oregano (antioxidant, antimicrobial; strong flavor), marjoram (similar benefits as oregano; sweet flavor), thyme (antioxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, increased brain function) and tarragon (antioxidant; licorice like flavor).
** Soaking grains overnight (>6 hrs) removes the phytic acid, which prevents minerals from being absorbed by the body. If you do this then skip boiling the grains and save yourself 10 minutes!