Quinoa is one of those rare foods that manages to taste great, be antioxidant-rich, full of fiber, and actually contains quite a bit of protein, all at once! It’s easy to prepare, but many people are either confused — or bored by it. This recipe should mix things up for you. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups shelled edamame
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tablespoons walnut oil
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup drained and sliced roasted red peppers
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Toast quinoa in a dry, hot skillet, stirring constantly, until it starts popping (3 minutes or so). Rinse thoroughly, and drain.

In a separate pot, bring broth to a boil. Once boiling, add the toasted quinoa. When it returns to boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 7 or 8 minutes.

At this point, add edamame over the quinoa, without stirring it. Cover and continue to cook until the edamame is tender and cooked through, about 7 to 8 minutes longer. Check the quinoa, and if done (it should be), turn off the heat and drain any remaining liquid, if there’s any lift.

Combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, terragon, and salt, once whisked, add to the quinoa mixture and toss well. Add the peppers, toss once again. Top with walnuts and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information per Serving:

Calories: 392
Fat: 9
Protein: 19
Carbs: 30 (plus 16 that are fiber)