I love the traditional Italian risotto, packed with carbs and cheese…. mmmm such comfort food! But for the times I’m worried about being healthier I end up cooking this lighter version with quinoa that is considered a super food, rich in proteins and antioxidants! This dish is a great option both for lunch or dinner and goes easily with everything, and if you skip the cheese you have a vegetarian dish!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of red quinoa (you can also use white quinoa)
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups of water
- 1 cube vegetable stock
- 4 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the garlic becomes fragrant but does not brown.
- Add the quinoa and cook for a minute always stirring.
- Add the wine, vegetable stock and pepper to taste, stirring until the liquid is evaporated.
- Add the water and when it starts boiling , reduce the heat to low.
- Cook for 30 min stirring occasionally.
- When most of the liquid is absorbed, add the parmesan and adjust salt if needed.
- Serve immediately.
Note:
I don’t use cheese when I want a lighter recipe, but the cheese adds extra flavour. You can also cook this quinoa with mushroom , zucchini in cubes or carrot in cubes.
I also had some small shrimps to top it up and add some more protein, they were seared in coconut oil, garlic, and topped with lemon zest and chopped parsley!
