Calling this a ‘Mexican’ bowl is definitely a bit of a stretch but naming recipes is not my strong suit, so I’m hoping you’ll forgive me. Besides, the recipe does include Mexican seasoning so I’m hoping that counts for something!
Quinoa is a fantastic seed and a great alternative to rice. While both are nutritious, quinoa is a source of complete protein since it contains all nine essential amino acids required by the body. Cooking it is fairly simple, a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water, but one thing that’s very important is washing the quinoa thoroughly before you cook them. Quinoa seeds have saponins, a phytochemical that protects the seed from pests. However, it also gives unwashed quinoa a bitter taste, hence the need to wash it properly before cooking. Just dunk it into a mesh strainer on top of a bowl and rinse with water a couple of times, running your fingers through it, until the water runs clear.
Pressure cookers are your friends when it comes to cooking quinoa. Stick your quinoa and water into the cooker, let it cook for 5-6 whistles and let the pressure release by itself. Fluff it up with a fork and add it to whatever recipe you like! Think of this as a base recipe, add whatever vegetables you like and omit the ones you don’t. Spinach, mushrooms, aubergines, cauliflower, black beans – It’s up to you. When I’ve got shredded chicken on hand, I’ll usually toss 1/2 cup for an extra protein and flavour boost.
This bowl is a pretty great as a make-ahead meal. It’s also the perfect breakfast, lunch or dinner if you ask me! I use Keya’s Mexican seasoning which is a great spice mix to have in the kitchen but If you don’t have that, add some garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, cumin and oregano. Or experiment with your favourite spices! One thing I would stress on though is the stock. Use a stock cube, or homemade stock but cooking the quinoa in stock really elevates the flavour of the whole bowl.
Mexican Quinoa
Ingredients
- ½ cup Quinoa
- 1 cup Water
- 1 Maggi Stock Cube
- 1 Tbsp Oil
- 1 Onion Chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 1 Capsicum Chopped
- 1 Tomato Chopped
- ½ cup Boiled Corn
- ½ cup Olives
- Salt as needed
- 1 Tbsp Keya Mexican Seasoning
- ½ cup Cheese Optional
Instructions
- Wash the quinoa a couple of times until the water runs clear.
- Add the quinoa, water and stock cube to a pan on med-high heat.
- Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until cooked.
- While the Quinoa is cooking, in a separate pan, heat the olive oil and once hot, add the onions and saute for a minute.
- Add the garlic and saute for a minute.
- Add the capsicum and tomatoes and sautee for 4-5 minutes or until you reach your desired level of vegetable crunchiness.
- Season with salt and Mexican Seasoning*
- Add the boiled corn, olives and quinoa and mix well.
Notes
- The stock cube I use is usually salty enough for the quinoa but I will salt my veggies.
- If you don’t have Mexican seasoning on hand you can make your own by mixing together onion powder, garlic powder, chilli powder, pepper powder, cumin powder and dried oregano.
