RECIPE: Crockpot Quinoa

I’m told I need to get a crock pot.  Because we a have a Vitamix (love it!), a toaster oven, a coffee bean grinder (the Hub’s), a French press as well as a food processor, I’m not keen on adding to the arsenal.  But I have friends that swear by their crock pots, that they can load up in the morning, leave to slow-cook all day while they’re out ‘gettin it done’ and return home to an already made dinner. And because this blog is meant to provide easy meals under budget, I must be willing to try things outside of my norm, right?

So this one’s for you crock pot loving people! And it includes our favorite nutrient-packed grain, Quinoa. This recipe was stolen from (A Year of Slow Cooking)

–1 1/2 cups quinoa (red or gold)
–3 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
–1 T olive oil
–1/2 t salt
–1/2 t cinnamon
–1/4 sliced or chopped almonds
–1/3 cup dried unsweetened cranberries

–handful of baby spinach
–1 cup baby tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
–1/2 block feta cheese, crumbled

Preparation:

If you buy quinoa in bulk, consider rinsing quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.  I don’t rinse the quinoa that comes in the orange box from Trader Joe’s.
Dump quinoa into the crockpot. I used my 6qt Smart Pot for this dish.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and mix it around. Add chicken or vegetable broth, the salt, and cinnamon. Stir in almonds and cranberries.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or on high for 2-4. The quinoa is done when you can fluff it with a fork and it is tender. The liquid should be pretty well absorbed, similar to how you know rice is done.

Fluff the quinoa with a fork, and add the baby tomatoes and feta cheese. Stir gingerly to mix. Add a large handful of baby spinach to the top of the crockpot, and close the lid. Cook on high for about 20 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted. Stir again to distribute the spinach.

Serve it up.