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Mediterranean Recipes with a Turkish Flair

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Quinoa Pilaf with Garbanzo Beans

December 12, 2014 by Yasemin Ari Leave a Comment

Quinoa Pilaf with Garbanzo Beans (Nohutlu Kinoa Pilavı)

OK, I admit I did not know what quinoa was until just a few years ago. But then, who did? I was trying to stay away from white rice and was very proud to use bulgur (cracked wheat) as an alternative for pilafs. After all, bulgur is whole wheat and has low glycemic index, it was all good. Since I add vegetables and garbanzo beans to it, I was very happy to cook nutritious bulgur pilafs. That is until we all learned about gluten and what it could do to our bodies, our brains. Naturally, I got myself a bag of “organic quinoa” and cooked it exactly per the directions on the bag. It was soggy and pretty much tasteless. My husband’s comment was “this is bird food, why did you cook it?“. I had to experiment with the way I cooked it. First lesson to learn was “not to follow the instructions” on the bag. You actually need less water than they tell you to cook with. I wanted enhance the taste, so I added lots of onions, bell peppers and garbanzo beans, black pepper and turmeric and voila! The result was a delicious alternative to rice and bulgur pilafs. Now all of my family (including the hubby) are not only used to it, but they actually like it a lot. This is a very simple recipe, but it will make quinoa an everyday dish on your table. Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Gluten Free, Rice/Grains, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Bell Peppers, Garbanzo Beans, pilaf, Quinoa, Quinoa Rice, Vegan, Vegetarian

Quinoa Salad with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes

May 22, 2012 by Yasemin Ari Leave a Comment

Quinoa Salad with Artichokes and Sun Dried Tomatoes
This is a simple summer salad that I make with Quinoa and other grains. You can use cooked bulgur or wild rice and it will come out delicious either way. Add pieces of cooked chicken or shrimp and it will make a great lunch. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa (1/2 cup dry quinoa will yield 1 cup when cooked)
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard – Gray Poupon or similar
  • 1 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cup marinated artichoke hearts
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
Directions:
Cook quinoa per instructions on the package. 1/2 cup dry quinoa will yield 1 cup when cooked. Set it aside, let it cool to room temperature. A lot of the times, I cook quinoa in larger quantities. Some will be used as pilaf with meals, some I use in salads.
In a large bowl combine olive oil, vinegar and mustard. Whip until smooth. Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir with a spoon to mix evenly. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with sprigs of fresh herbs. Serve chilled.
Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Salads, Side dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Artichoke, Artichoke Hearts, Gluten Free, Quinoa, Salad, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Holiday Quinoa Salad

December 17, 2011 by Yasemin Ari Leave a Comment

Holiday Quinoa Salad
Quinoa Salad with Red & Green Peppers
Ingredients:
  • ·         1 cup organic quinoa
  • ·         ½ cup olive oil
  • ·         1 medium onion
  • ·         1 small green bell pepper, chopped
  • ·         1 small red bell pepper, chopped
  • ·         ¼ cup water
  • ·         ½ cup canned organic garbanzo beans, drained.
  • ·         Salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook quinoa based on directions on the box. Set aside.
Thinly slice onions. In a skillet roast onions until they are caramelized. Add chopped red and green peppers.  Stir them on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add water, cover the skillet and let it simmer until peppers are tender.
In a bowl combine all ingredients. Adding salt and pepper to taste. Transfer into a serving dish.

You can also serve this hot as a pilaf accompanying a main dish.

Afiyet Olsun! Bon Appetit!

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Rice/Grains, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: Gluten Free, Quinoa, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian

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Yasemin Ari

I love cooking, especially cooking with friends and family.

I believe that some of the best conversations take place around the kitchen counter... [Read More]

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