Thursday, January 6, 2011

Double Broccoli Quinoa

I've been a bit lazy to write much lately; must still be in that holiday relaxation mode. But... I made this the other day and found myself itching to share it with you guys because it really is just that delicious. 
You know I love things that involve decadence and pure, utter gluttony. Example: the brown sugar-bacon waffles I made for a New Years Eve brunch. Sometimes though, I just love trying healthy recipes, but as always, they must taste good. When I want to try something new, healthy and delicious, I always turn to Heidi's recipes on 101 Cookbooks. She is seriously the supernatural food goddess! 
Anyways, on to this quinoa salad! It's simple, delicious and super satisfying. I absolutely loved, loved, loved it! If you've never tried quinoa, it's actually not a grain but rather a seed. It cooks up just like rice, heck, I even cooked mine in my rice cooker and it came out fantastically! It has this nice little crunch to it and has all kinds of good things packed into its little shell. 

My favorite part about this dish was the broccoli pesto. Wow, broccoli pesto, you've got something going on there! Combined with the toasty almond slivers, brine-y feta and smooth-as-butter avocado, you've got a great meal. If you still find yourself craving some protein, a grilled chicken breast would be fabulous on top.
Mise en place:

Double Broccoli Quinoa
Yields: 4 - 6 servings
Original recipe here.

3 cups cooked quinoa
     (soak the quinoa for 15 minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, and cook with double the 
     amount of water in a large sauce pot or in a rice cooker)
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves
2/3 cups slivered almonds, toasted until golden
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 big pinches of salt
2 tbsn. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup heavy cream

optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil, sliced avocado, crumbled feta or goat cheese

Heat the quinoa and set aside. Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bring it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking, set aside. To make the broccoli pesto puree, combine 2 cups of the cooked broccoli, garlic, 1/2 cup of almonds, parmesan, salt and lemon juice into a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth. Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the pesto. Taste and adjust as needed. Top with the remaining almonds and whatever toppings you desire. 

16 comments:

  1. Great photos, looks so good & healthy! I'll haveta try this.

    http://www.materialtherapy.blogspot.com/

    x.S

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  2. That looks real good... I love brokkoli!

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  3. Wow, this sounds absolutely delicious! I would never have thought to make a broccoli pesto, but I'm definitely going to try it soon! And anything with avocado and feta or goat cheese is good in my book! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I cannot wait to try it out in my own kitchen!

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  4. woah this looks amazingg!!! and the pictures are incredible.

    xo
    www.dragonnfruit.com

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  5. Never tried Quiona but I have heard great things about it. I've also never heard of Heidi's cookbook, but I'll have to look into it. This looks really delicous..I love the vibrant green

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  6. I have to try this, sounds and looks delicious!

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  7. Beautiful pictures! This healthy dish is bursting with nutrients and flavours, a perfect way to enjoy food.

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  8. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! Love this recipe.

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  9. GORGOEUS! I am always looking for new recipes for quinoa, I must make this!

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  10. This looks delicious! I love the last photo too!

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  11. These look fresh and delish, Michelle! I'm aiming to have a better mixture of sweet and savory, indulgent and healthier foods on my blog this year like you have on yours.

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  12. All of these pictures are making me drool and making me so hungry. I'm sure this quinoa recipe is gonna be super delicious. Nothing can go wrong with Double Broccoli Quinoa. I'll surely try out this recipe very soon. Thank you very much for sharing. :)

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  13. This recipe is super good! I made it tonight and at first thought the pesto was so lemony and overpowering. But mixed with the quinoa, it's just the perfect amount of zestyness. I'm going to try the leftover pesto on pasta! I'm sure it will be delicious. Thanks for sharing this.

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  14. Great photos! Great food! hungry~~~

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  15. This looks awesome! It would be a great addition to our healthy deli salad blog hop today. Please join and hop. Here's the link: http://www.favedietsblog.com/the-healthy-hop-may-edition/
    Thanks!
    Blair

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