This recipe for Lemon Thyme Quinoa is fairly simple and one of the reasons I love quinoa is that it is simple to make, absorbs flavor easily and packs a lot of healthy nutrition.
Just the other night we were at a wedding and were served the most fluffiest and flavorful quinoa and I knew I had to replicate and spice it up a bit for us. So here is my Lemon Thyme Quinoa that I served with my Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blended Chimichurri Sauce.
Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-Wah, has slowly made it’s way into our kitchen since we decided to start eating healthier, and with Dave being diabetic, it’s a great rice substitute. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know thats it’s been the big “in” food for a while now as is kale, but I LOVE white rice as my favorite side dish so I never really paid attention to it until now. I am a convert albeit a slow one at that!
I think a lot of people consider quinoa to be a whole grain, but it’s actually a seed. It’s origins come from high up in the Andes where the Inca cultivated and enjoyed it’s health benefits. I love that it’s quick and easy to prepare, is way high in nutritional value and in reading have found it to also be gluten-free, allergy-free, high in healthy fats, protein, fiber, iron, magnesium phosphorus, and riboflavin.
I use it in place of rice and love it’s texture and slight crunch. In reading to learn more about quinoa I’ve found it contains all nine essential amino acids, which means it’s a complete protein. It has a bitter tasting coating on it so it’s best if you rinse it thoroughly under cold water in a sieve first.
Quinoa cooks quickly, faster than brown rice, another new favorite of mine farro and other whole grains. I have recently been incorporating it into salads, too.
In a saucepan add 3 cups of chicken stock, dried red chili pepper and thyme tied together with kitchen twine for easy removal. Using a vegetable peeler, cut a 2-3 inch strip off the lemon, getting the rind only, not the white part. Drop that in the chicken stock with juice from half the lemon and bring to a boil.
Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cold water for several minutes until well rinsed. Add to the boiling stock and stir.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the thyme bundle, red pepper and lemon peel.
Fluff with fork and serve as a side dish to your favorite meal.
Here it is alongside my Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Blended Chimichurri Sauce, enjoy!
Lemon Thyme Quinoa
Ingredients
- 10 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 lemon
- 2 cups quinoa
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 dried red chili pepper optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan add 3 cups of chicken stock, dried red chili pepper and thyme tied together with kitchen twine for easy removal.
- Using a vegetable peeler, cut a 2-3 inch strip off the lemon, getting the rind only, not the white part. Drop that in the chicken stock with juice from half the lemon and bring to a boil.
- Rinse the quinoa in a sieve under cold water for several minutes until well rinsed. Add to the boiling stock and stir.
- Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the thyme bundle, red pepper and lemon peel. Fluff with fork and serve as a side dish to your favorite meal.
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