Super Spice Quinoa with Peas and Cashews

When I was trying to come up with a good name for this quinoa recipe I wanted something that would really let everyone know how beneficial spices are and that they really are a super food.  Spices like ginger, coriander, cilantro, and turmeric are about as super as you can get nutritionally.

I use these spices a lot when cooking and find many different ways to incorporate them into my diet so I can get all their health benefits.  I love ginger and turmeric tea, I add turmeric into my warm lemon water every morning, I juice with ginger, and I will add cilantro to my green smoothies.

Ginger is a powerful cancer fighter (especially for colorectal and ovarian cancers), reduces inflammation from diseases like osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, provides relief from nausea, and can provide protection from germs.  I prefer using fresh ginger root when I can versus ground ginger.

Coriander and Cilantro are basically the same thing.  Did you know that when whole coriander seeds are planted up sprouts cilantro?  Cilantro contains an antibacterial compound that has been shown to fight salmonella.  Cilantro is a natural anti-inflammatory, effective for toxic metal cleansing, rich in antioxidants, and is rich in numerous vitamins and minerals.

Turmeric is a relative of ginger and has been used for centuries and both medicine and food.  Turmeric contains properties that “has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, anti fungal, and anticancer activities and thus has a potential against various malignant disease, diabetes, allergies, arthritis, Alzheimer’s disease and other chronic illnesses.” (resource)

So as you can see there are numerous spices that can provide us with great benefits.  Americans these days are often only familiar with salt and pepper as seasonings.  I challenge you to branch out of your comfort zone and let your taste buds experience some new flavors.  If you are looking for other great recipes that will add these super spices to your diet here are some great ones…

Toasted Cumin Hummus

Toasted Barley and Quinoa with Curry Vinaigrette

Spiced Quinoa with Butternut Squash

Print

Course Salad, Side Dish

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 4

Author Sara (adapted here)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 Cup Quinoa rinsed
• 1 Large Onion peeled and diced (I used red but any color would work)
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger grated (about 1/2 inch of the root)
• 1 tsp Turmeric ground or fresh
• 1 tsp Ground Coriander
• 1 tsp Ground Curry Powder
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 3/4 Cup Peas frozen
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup Raw Cashews toasted if you desire in a dry pan for a couple of minutes

Instructions

1. In a large saute pan heat the coconut oil over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes).
3. Add the fresh ginger and stir into the onions.
4. Immediately add in the additional spices and mix into the onion mixture cooking an additional 1 minute.
5. Add the drained quinoa and toast the seeds for about 5 minutes (stirring occasionally).
6. Add the water and when it has come to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer until the quinoa is tender (about 8-10 minutes).
7. Once most of the liquid has been absorbed turn off the heat, and the frozen peas and let the quinoa sit with the lid on for an additional minute or two (just enough to warm through the peas).
8. When ready to serve mix in the fresh cilantro and cashews.

Recipe Notes

* Please choose all organic ingredients when possible.