AltiPlano :: Recipes

Quinoa can often be found in raw form at your local natural foods store. Here are a few recipes that feature the grain.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Grease, or spray with non-stick spray, an 8 x 8-inch pan.

Place raisins in a small bowl and stir in orange juice and vanilla. Set aside for raisins to plump.

Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add AltiPlano Quinoa Flakes, 1 cup quinoa flakes, and nuts and sauté, stirring constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes or until aromatic and a shade darker. Pour into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Stir eggs into raisin mixture. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until uniformly blended.

Spread the dough into prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cut into 8 bars. Return to oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove to a rack to cool. Bars will keep for 1 week. To store longer, wrap tightly and freeze. To re-crisp bars, heat briefly in a toaster oven.

Makes 8, 3 1/2 x 1 1/2 inch bars.

Nutrition info per bar: Calories 386, Fat 19g, Cholesterol 69mg, Sodium 208g, Protein 7.6g, Dietary Fiber 6g.

^ back to top

Cream of Quinoa Soup
Serves 8

The combination of peanut butter and cumin adds a special seasoning note to this creamy soup. Popular in Ecuador, it is both rich and satisfying.

Cook quinoa according to Basic Boiled Quinoa recipe, below. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a 9-inch skillet, heat butter or margarine and oil. Add leek and onion, cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, without letting contents color, for about 20 minutes. Season with paprika, salt, pepper, and cumin. Transfer to a blender or food processor, add peanut butter and quinoa, and process until smooth. Return mixture to saucepan and add milk and cream. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally. If desired, thin soup with a little milk or stock. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan.

Per serving: 178 calories, 6.5 g fat, 6.7 mg cholesterol, 204.6 mg sodium, 7.5 g protein, 1.1 g fiber.

Bring water to a boil in a heavy 2-quart saucepan. Add quinoa, bring back to a boil, cover, and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all the water. Remove from heat, fluff, cover, and let stand for 5 minutes.

Quinoa can also be toasted for a more intense flavor. Sauté for a few minutes in a little oil or butter, stirring constantly, before proceeding with the recipe.

Per cup: 150 calories, 3 g fat, .38 mg cholesterol, 12.5 mg sodium, 1.7 g fiber, 6 g protein.

In this recipe, the quinoa is toasted to give it a nutty flavor. Replace stock with additional juice, or vice versa, if desired.

Rinse quinoa and drain well. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook and stir quinoa until water is gone; reduce heat to medium and continue to stir until toasted. Place quinoa in 2-quart casserole dish.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until soft – about 5 minutes. Add garlic and squash; cook 2 minutes. Add onion mixture, juice, stock, and salt to quinoa; stir to combine. Cover and bake in 375° F oven for 30 minutes. Remove casserole cover and cook another 10 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and grains and squash are tender. Stir in parsley and fluff with a fork.

From “Good for You,” Homemaker’s Magazine, March 1999, courtesy of Yvonne Tremblay.