Apple-Curried Quinoa
with Roasted Almonds
I love quinoa and we have it at home often. We like it with a lot of flavor and I found a recipe that is ‘full of so many flavors’ says my husband. I knew the combination of apple and curry would marry very well, and the addition of currants, mint and roasted almonds added more depth and character to each bite. It tasted amazing.
I found this dish very light, refreshing and completely satisfying. Usually the dishes i make with curry are heavier, so its nice to use this spice in a new, lighter way. The fresh, cool mint contrasted beautifully with the warm curry. This dish is full of fiber, protein, antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. This is a fantastic lunch or dinner option to nourish your body.
with Roasted Almonds
I love quinoa and we have it at home often. We like it with a lot of flavor and I found a recipe that is ‘full of so many flavors’ says my husband. I knew the combination of apple and curry would marry very well, and the addition of currants, mint and roasted almonds added more depth and character to each bite. It tasted amazing.
I found this dish very light, refreshing and completely satisfying. Usually the dishes i make with curry are heavier, so its nice to use this spice in a new, lighter way. The fresh, cool mint contrasted beautifully with the warm curry. This dish is full of fiber, protein, antioxidants, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. This is a fantastic lunch or dinner option to nourish your body.
Ingredients:
(adapted from Martha Stewart)
1/2 cup raw whole almonds
1 cup white quinoa (yields about 4 cups cooked)
2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (2 whole lemons)
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp dried currants
1 apple, cut thinly
2 celery stalks, cut thinly like match-sticks
1 cup kale, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
(adapted from Martha Stewart)
1/2 cup raw whole almonds
1 cup white quinoa (yields about 4 cups cooked)
2 tsp honey
2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (2 whole lemons)
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp dried currants
1 apple, cut thinly
2 celery stalks, cut thinly like match-sticks
1 cup kale, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spread almonds on baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted and fragrant (7-10 minutes). Coarsely chop nuts.
2. Rinse the quinoa in water rubbing it between your hands to remove the bitter saponin (bitter resin that served to deter birds and insects from eating it). Cooks like rice, 1:2 quinoa-to-water ratio. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, stir once, cover with lid, turn heat down to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Will have a light, fluffy texture.
3. Whisk together honey, red onion, curry powder, salt and lemon juice in large bowl. Season with pepper. Whisk constantly while pouring in olive oil until emulsified. Add kale, apple, mint, celery and currants to dressing and toss well. Then toss that entire mixture with warm, cooked quinoa with forks to keep fluffy. Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people).
Enjoy!
2. Rinse the quinoa in water rubbing it between your hands to remove the bitter saponin (bitter resin that served to deter birds and insects from eating it). Cooks like rice, 1:2 quinoa-to-water ratio. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil, stir once, cover with lid, turn heat down to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Will have a light, fluffy texture.
3. Whisk together honey, red onion, curry powder, salt and lemon juice in large bowl. Season with pepper. Whisk constantly while pouring in olive oil until emulsified. Add kale, apple, mint, celery and currants to dressing and toss well. Then toss that entire mixture with warm, cooked quinoa with forks to keep fluffy. Serves 4 (or 2 very hungry people).
Enjoy!
Whole Food Sneak Peak:
Mint
Mint is one of the most popular and recognizable flavors in the world. The mint family (including basil, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme) is one of the most useful medicinal and culinary herb families. The two most famous varieties of mint are spearmint and peppermint . The taste of both can be described as a cross between pepper and menthol, with peppermint being a bit stronger and spearmint being a little more cool, sweet and subtle.
Refreshing mint is a potent healer. Like other aromatic plants, their primary application has been as a carminative (prevents formation of gas) and helps keep the digestive tract in mint condition. Peppermint relaxes the gastrointestinal muscles which helps to normalize intestinal contractions and helps ease symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), such as abdominal pain, cramping and bloating.
Mint
Mint is one of the most popular and recognizable flavors in the world. The mint family (including basil, lemon balm, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory and thyme) is one of the most useful medicinal and culinary herb families. The two most famous varieties of mint are spearmint and peppermint . The taste of both can be described as a cross between pepper and menthol, with peppermint being a bit stronger and spearmint being a little more cool, sweet and subtle.
Refreshing mint is a potent healer. Like other aromatic plants, their primary application has been as a carminative (prevents formation of gas) and helps keep the digestive tract in mint condition. Peppermint relaxes the gastrointestinal muscles which helps to normalize intestinal contractions and helps ease symptoms of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), such as abdominal pain, cramping and bloating.
Peppermint is rich in the compound menthol…the rush of coolness you feel from peppermint containing foods and items (ie. Toothpaste). When people suck on mentholated lozenges it ‘produces a feeling of a clear, wide nose.’ Peppermint contains the substance rosmarinic acid, a powerful antioxidant that blocks the production of allery-producing leukotrienes, which helps to relieve nasal symptoms of allergic rhinitis. It also contains a compound know as perillyl alcohol that has been shown to inhibit the growth or formation of cancer.
Mint may help prevent and/or treat stress, anxiety, nausea, cough, cancer, breastfeeding problems (peppermint water on nipples helps decrease cracking), mental fatigue, post-therapeutic neuralgia (the cold sensation of menthol might work in helping relieve nerve pain from shingles or a blistering viral rash) and gum disease.
The dried mint at the store is spearmint. Dried mint breaks into tiny pieces when the dried leaves are rubbed off the stems. It darkens when dried, but the color doesn’t affect the quality or freshness. For freshness check the aroma. Spearmint should smell warm and slightly pungent and peppermint, cool and slightly peppery.
Mint is found in thousands of products, such as soft drinks, candies, cocktails, jellies, ice teas etc. Mint can be used in dressings, salads, drinks, tea, soup, Indian and Asian dishes to name a few.
Mint may help prevent and/or treat stress, anxiety, nausea, cough, cancer, breastfeeding problems (peppermint water on nipples helps decrease cracking), mental fatigue, post-therapeutic neuralgia (the cold sensation of menthol might work in helping relieve nerve pain from shingles or a blistering viral rash) and gum disease.
The dried mint at the store is spearmint. Dried mint breaks into tiny pieces when the dried leaves are rubbed off the stems. It darkens when dried, but the color doesn’t affect the quality or freshness. For freshness check the aroma. Spearmint should smell warm and slightly pungent and peppermint, cool and slightly peppery.
Mint is found in thousands of products, such as soft drinks, candies, cocktails, jellies, ice teas etc. Mint can be used in dressings, salads, drinks, tea, soup, Indian and Asian dishes to name a few.
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