Serves 4

This delightful salad is bursting with the delicious flavors of spring. Tender green asparagus joins whole-grain superstar quinoa, sliced carrots, and fresh herbs to produce a simple, easy side dish perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Add some lean protein for an instant entrée. Serve warm or at room temperature.

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup sliced fresh asparagus, blanched
1 cup sliced carrots, blanched
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve.

Start with quinoa, a delicious and nutritious whole grain available in natural food stores. Measure out 1/2 cup. Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer.

The next step, toasting, is optional; it helps to bring out quinoa’s nutty flavor. Simply place the rinsed quinoa in a dry skillet and stir until the quinoa is golden and fragrant. Set the dry-roasted quinoa aside.

Next, you’ll need some coconut milk. This is available in cans in the Asian/macrobiotic section of the natural foods store. Be sure to get full-fat coconut milk. (“Reduced fat” coconut milk is actually just regular coconut milk with water added; you can add your own water and save your money if you want to cut back on the fat!)

Place 1/3 cup water and 2/3 cup coconut milk in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

Add the toasted quinoa, 2 cloves of minced or pressed garlic, a dash of cayenne pepper, and a pinch of sea salt (or more to taste).

Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

Meanwhile, you can chop your red bell pepper. You want about 1/4 cup diced pepper.

After the quinoa has absorbed the liquid, add the bell pepper to the saucepan, along with 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil has quite a strong flavor; you may like this dish with just 1 teaspoon. Cover the pan, turn off or remove from heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Serves 2 to 3

2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup sliced or chopped cucumber
1/4 cup minced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh scallion
chopped fresh mint and parsley to taste (tabbouleh traditionally uses a LOT of parsley and mint!)
juice of 2 lemons
1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste

Combine the quinoa, cucumber, red onion, scallion, and herbs in a serving bowl and set aside. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, and sea salt. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix well. Chill before serving.

Quinoa is the quintessential spring grain (although it is available year-round). It’s light and fluffy, and it cooks up in just 10 to 15 minutes, making it perfect for warmer weather when you don’t want to have a hot stove going for a long period of time.

Quinoa is an ancient food that sustained South Americans in Peru, Chile, and Bolivia for over 5,000 years. Its nutrient profile is impressive. Unlike other grains, quinoa is a complete protein, containing all the essential amino acids; it’s also high in manganese, iron, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus.

To prepare quinoa, rinse the grain in a fine-mesh strainer and add to a pot of boiling water. Cover the pot, reduce the heat, and cook until all the water is absorbed (about 10 to 15 minutes). Use 1 part grain to 2 parts water. For more flavorful quinoa, try one of our delicious recipes! Yum!

Serves 2 to 3

This light and flavorful side dish with a hint of exotic spice is the perfect addition to a light, vegetable-based spring entrée. Cooking quinoa, a celebrated spring whole grain choice, with coconut milk and garlic infuses it with flavor, and toasted sesame oil finishes the dish beautifully.

1/2 cup quinoa
1/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash of cayenne pepper
sea salt to taste
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. If desired, dry-roast the grain until fragrant, then set aside.

Combine the coconut milk and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Cook, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in red pepper and sesame oil. Cover. Let sit, covered, for 5 minutes, stir, and serve.

See step-by-step photos of this dish!

Thai-Style Coconut Quinoa

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 servings

1 1/2 cups quinoa
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
zest of 2 oranges
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts

Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Allow to dry, then add to a cooking pot on medium-high heat. Dry-roast the grains until they are fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add broth and oil to the pot and combine with the quinoa. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat. Cook on low heat until water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Fluff with a fork and add orange zest, parsley, and toasted walnuts.