The Quinoa Cop Out

I have to admit: cooking quinoa seemed like a cop out in my new mission to cook well for one. It's been one of my pantry staples since college (not surprising since I went to school in hippie Eugene, Oregon) and by now, I figured I'd made quinoa salad in every possible permeation. 

The version I’ve eaten more times than I care to count involves dressing a cooked pot of quinoa with a squirt of lemon juice, then adding slivers of green onion, bright edamame and little pink shrimp. At times, I've tossed in lemon zest, currants and salty feta cheese to try and coax a lively flavor out of the wholesome, plain Jane grain; other evenings, I’ve turned it into a bed for a Mediterranean stir fry of chicken sausage, artichoke hearts and spinach. But if I'm being honest, all of these version were a bit boring.

When I made my latest quinoa salad, however, I finally understood what all those fall-back, thrown-together recipes lacked: crunch. Quinoa is couscous-esque in that it is one of those grains more favored for its fluffy texture than its toothsome bite. So, you can imagine that the pleasure of eating quinoa dulls after a few bites if you don’t add an ingredient that counters its soft character. 

I found my savior in a recipe that called for pistachios. I realized they were just what quinoa needed when I found myself rooting around in my bowl to make sure I had a pistachio bit in every bite. The recipe won me over even more by calling for jewel-toned cranberries; I threw in a shower of feta cheese – I figure if you’re going to add something crunchy, you might as well add something crumbly too.

Quinoa Salad with Pistachios, Cranberries and Feta

Adapted from The New American Olive Oil by Fran Gage

Quinoa is not something I like to eat plain. Served solo, it is boring and bland - not to mention plain Jane brown - which is why I have always turned it into a salad studded with bright greens or shiny dried fruit. This recipe adds color and crunch by way of chopped pistachios that are now my secret weapon for making quinoa salads that wow. I’m cheating a bit by sharing a recipe that serves 4 but trust me, these are leftovers solo diners will be happy to have on hand.

1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 scallions, green tops removed, sliced

1/3 cup pistachio nuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup dried cranberries

¼ cup feta cheese

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Toast the quinoa in a medium skillet over high heat, shaking the pan occasionally, until it lightly browns, starts to crackle, and smells a bit toasted, or about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the water to boil in a small pot. When the water is boiling, add the quinoa to the pot, cover and turn the temperature to low. Cook until the quinoa is soft but still has a little bite, and all the water has been absorbed, or about 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the grain to a bowl and let it cool slightly before tossing it with the vinegar and olive oil. Mix in the pistachio nuts, scallions, cranberries and feta cheese.

Serve immediately, or if not serving immediately, refrigerate the salad in a lidded container to peck at later for snacks and lunches as you like.