Orange Walnut Quinoa with Chickpeas and Mint
- Yield: 6 servings
Quinoa's mild taste makes it a perfect starting point for building a dish with lots of character. The orange and mint bring the quinoa to life, but the walnuts, toasted with cumin and coriander pull the whole dish together, making it a nutrient power house.
Ingredients
- Toasted Walnuts with Coriander and Cumin:
- 1/2cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2teaspoon ground cumin
- -- Qunoa:
- 1 1/2cups quinoa
- -- Water
- 1teaspoon salt
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4teaspoon cinnamon
- 1cup cooked chickpeas, or canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
- 1/2cup chopped fresh mint
- 2-- scallions, finely chopped (both green and white parts)
- 2tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 1/2tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1tablespoon finely grated orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- To prepare the walnuts, toss them in a small bowl with the olive oil, coriander and cumin. Spread in a pan and bake about 10 minutes, until the walnuts are aromatic and slightly browned. Cool to room temperature.
- If you have purchased quinoa from a bulk bin, rinse it with cold water and drain well. It is not necessary to rinse boxed quinoa if it says “prewashed.”
- In a medium saucepan bring 2 1/2 cups water and the salt to a boil. Add the quinoa and return to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat, add the cumin, coriander and cinnamon, then stir and fluff with a fork to combine. Spread the quinoa on a platter or shallow pan to cool, stirring it occasionally with a fork.
- Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and add the chickpeas, mint, scallions, orange juice, olive oil, lemon juice and orange zest. Stir and toss to combine, then top with the seasoned walnuts.
Recipe Courtesy of Rebecca Katz for the California Walnut Board.
Nutritional Info *per serving
- Calories 308
- Fat 14f
- Saturated Fat 1.5g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 7g
- Monounsaturated Fat 4.5g
- Cholesterol 0mg
- Sodium 395mg
- Carbohydrate 38g
- Fiber 6g
- Protein 10g