Signature Dish of the Day: White Quinoa & Sweet Potato Medley
Signature Dish of the Day: Happy Friday! Serving up this bright, wonderfully fluffy, and absolutely delicious White Quinoa & Sweet Potato Medley as our signature dish of the day today! Ever since I learned how to properly cook quinoa, it has gradually become one of my all-time favorite alternatives to rice, pasta, and other starchy staple foods. This gluten-free super grain is truly an all-round superstar dish that delivers on every count as it is not only very easy to cook and tastes amazing, but also comes packed with an unmatched list of healthy and beneficial nutrients as well as unbeatable flavor.
To prepare this delectable medley, I first boiled 1 cup of rinsed and drained white quinoa in an uncovered pot under medium heat with 2 cups of water seasoned with a bit of coconut oil as well olive oil and some salt to taste. Quinoa cooks relatively quickly...it takes only about 12 minutes or so and you need to keep checking to ensure it doesn't coat the bottom of the pot especially towards the end of the cooking process as all the water is almost fully absorbed by the grains. I usually cover the pot during the last 5 minutes and reduce the heat to low to allow the quinoa to fully cook slowly under the steam without coating the pot. Once all the water had been absorbed and the quinoa was light and fluffy in texture, I turned off the heat and set it aside.
After heating up about 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet, I sautéed some diced red onions and tomatoes for about 3 minutes and seasoned the base with some ground black pepper, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cumin. I then poured in cubed pieces of 1 large sweet potato and about 1/4 cup mixed blend of frozen peas and carrots, seasoned with some salt and additional ground black pepper, and stirred thoroughly to blend all ingredients together. I then covered the skillet and let the potatoes cook slowly under medium heat, checking in from time to time to add a bit of water when the mixture begun to coat the pan. Once the potatoes had fully cooked through after about 15 minutes, I stirred in my cooked quinoa and mixed thoroughly with the sweet potato mixture. This dish can be served hot or at room temperature as a lunch or dinner entree, or served cold as a delicious side salad as well. Versatile, incredibly delicious, and healthy to boot...what are you waiting for? Give this wonderful dish a try and share the joy. Enjoy! 😍😋
