Quinoa Chickpea Stir Fry

Quinoa Chickpea Stir Fry

Quinoa seems to be the "in" food nowadays! And for good reason too: 1 Cup (170 g) of Quinoa provides 24 g of protein, 12 g of fiber and is very rich in specific minerals. The other thing a lot of folks don't know is that it technically isn't even a cereal grain - it is actually a seed. You see a lot of Quinoa reference in hip health blogs and magazines. Here is an easy recipe to get you started if you buy some Quinoa from the grocery store.(You can even get it from Walmart of Sam's Club)

I found this recipe on Yummly.

• 3 Tblsp Olive Oil
• 3-4 cloves Garlic
• 1 Tsp Ginger chopped fine
• 1 green chilly chopped fine
• 2 Tsp Red Chilli powder
• 2 Tsp Cumin powder
• 2 Tsp Garam masala
• 1/4 Tsp red pepper flakes
• A pinch of black pepper
• 1 medium onion sliced thin
• 1 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 4 Cups cooked Quinoa
• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 can tomatoes 
• 3 Cups baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 Tsp Salt

Heat the olive oil on medium low in a wok or large pan. Add the spices and let them simmer for 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat down if they start to burn. Then, add the onion and raise the heat to medium. 

Now, cook stirring frequently for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and peppers and stir fry for a couple of minutes. Then add the quinoa and stir fry for another minute.

Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes. Finally, stir in the tomatoes, fold in the spinach and the salt and stir fry, stirring frequently for another 2 minutes. I like to puree out the tomatoes in a blender, even if they're out of a can. If you're using fresh, use 2 medium tomatoes. Using canned ones like zesty jalapeno add a nice kick sometimes.