Obsessed

I am obsessed - and no, not with the show. Have you seen that show though, Obsessed? Fascinating really but not where I am going with this post.

I am obsessed with quinoa (keen-wah). Have you tried the stuff? I started hearing a lot about it over the last 6 months. Something about how it is a grain, some sort of super food. It all sort of went in one ear and out the other. I am all about healthy eating and trying new foods - but I had never tasted quinoa and I had no idea how to cook with it.

For the record (and according to Wikipedia), quinoa is a grain-like crop grown for its edible seeks. To me, it tastes and acts very similar to couscous. I think it is often used as a rice substitute.

My mom makes one mean chicken salad. Usually, she adds wild rice and grapes to it. But a few months ago, she substituted the rice with quinoa. That was all it took -- I was hooked. I am kind of a texture eater and I LOVED the texture of the quinoa. Since then, I have been adding it to soups, salads, pretty much anything I can think of.

This weekend my mom made it with lentils. This is her recipe adapted from this one here:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 1/4 cups water, plus 2 cups
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 lime, zested
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2-3 celery stalks, chopped

Directions

Put the quinoa in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a large microwave-proof bowl with a cover, add the rinsed quinoa and 1 1/4 cups water. Cover and microwave on high for 9 minutes. Let it sit for 2 minutes then stir. Quinoa should be tender enough to eat, but with a little "pop" upon biting.

Put the lentils in a sieve and rinse in cold water. In a saucepan,simmer the lentils in 2 cups water until the lentils are tender, but not mushy, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool.

Saute the celery and carrots until tender.

In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and vinegar together, and drizzle in the oil to make an emulsion. Add the garlic powder, lime zest, and salt, and pepper, to taste.

To assemble the salad: In a medium salad bowl, mix the quinoa, lentils, celery, carrots, green onions, and chopped cilantro. Top the salad with the dressing, toss to coat and serve.