Recently, I posted about getting a jump on meal planning by sharing how I oven roast chicken breasts. That recipe is a life saver for me and so is this one! I have discovered that I can prepare a whole weeks worth of quinoa in my rice cooker. I was a little skeptical when I first heard of this idea but it works, and it works beautifully.
I’ve been on a quest over the past couple of months not only to eat healthier food but to also eat food that makes me feel good. You know what I mean? Being the foodie that I am, I want to eat dishes that taste really good and also have benefit to my over health. For me, quinoa is one of those foods. It’s pack with crazy, good nutritional value (see the links below for details), is easy to prepare, keeps well in the fridge and here’s the most important thing…you can turn it into almost anything! I love to use it with green salads, added to roasted veggies and as a delicious base to grilled chicken or fish. It can also be used in baking muffins and snack bars.
Quinoa has become so popular that you can find it in almost every grocery store. When making your purchase, look for a brand that states the quinoa has been washed and rinsed – it will just make your life easier. Then, all you do is grab some chicken or vegetable stock, a little olive oil and fill your rice cooker. 
In about 20 to 30 minutes, you’ll have light, flavorful quinoa. For the final steps, remove the lid from your cooker to let the grain cool slightly, then using a fork, gently fluff the quinoa, incorporating a little air. At this point, I pack individual portions in glass contains and store them in the fridge until I’m ready to use. This whole process comes together in no time and really does make my week run smoothly since I don’t have to second guess what I’m having for lunch or more importantly, reach for things that are not so good for me. I eat better, feel better which is a big part of a happy life!
Links to detailed health benefits of quinoa : Health benefits of Quinoa – Medical News Today and Quinoa at a glance – The Whole Grain Council
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken stock - vegetable stock or water can be used.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Drizzle olive oil around bowl and bottom of rice cooker
- Add quinoa, stock and salt to cooker. Turn to "cooking" or "on" setting.
- When done, remove lid from cooker, cool slightly and fluffy with a fork. Store in airtight container in refrigerator until ready to serve.
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