Anyone got any vegetarian recipes for quinoa?

[CinammonGirl]

I keep hearing about quinoa and how it's so delicious and good for you! Trying to lose weight at the moment so would like to give it a try. Anyone got any good recipes I could try please?

You use it a bit like rice, there is usually a recipe on the back. I'm not sure if it's particularly good for weight loss. I like it myself, but I think it's overpriced.

Really nice with chopped, baked butternut squash, pieces of orange and apple, nuts and seeds.

garlic, mushrooms, brocolli florets, asparagus or mange tout, optional lumps of cheese or natural yogurt.

onion, tomato, olives, fresh and dried herbs and courgettes.

Sweet potato, onions and olives, tomato and chick peas dry fried in Moroccan spices and dried mint.

I use it for lunch at work. I boil up enough for a few days, but also have a couple of ready made packs at work for emergency lunches. (e.g., if have a bit of left over fish and a bit of cucumber, or to bulk out a salad).

If am organised, I do a SW recipe of: masses of butternut squash, cherry toms, red onion all roasted together with a pinch of chilli flakes and few squirts of Frylight. Can throw in a tin of rinsed chickpeas towards end (after half hr isn, for last 15 mins). If have leftover veg, chuck that in too, e.g. sweet pots, shrooms, courgette, green beans.

Works well with quinoa mixed in. Find quinoa can be dry, so better with a dressing. If am being virtuous, I use lemon juice only.

I love it use it as a stuffing in the place of breadcrumbs. Quinoa is fantastic stuffed into a mushroom! Here is my recipe:thegildedsprout.com/protein-packed-portobellos/

Mix with half fat creme fraiche, peas and sea salt flakes for a v tasty salad with a surprising amount of protein.

Also good with a tomato and chilli sauce which has yellow peppers, diced carrots, beetroot and spinach in it, topped with a squeeze of lemon juice and some black pepper. It's a rainbow of vegetables with a decent protein source.

Or use it instead of bulgar wheat in tabbouleh.

I like it mixed 50 50 with brown rice in a salad with diced cucumber, spring onion, red pepper, some peas and sweetcorn, dressed with a mix of lemon juice, oil, soy sauce and sweet chilli sauce. I often add some chickpeas to the mix as well. Good lunchbox fodder.

Also lovely to roast up chunks of aubergine, courgette, onion, pepper, tomato and garlic and serve over a bed of quinoa & chickpeas with some basil torn over the top. At this time of year I tend to miss out the tomatoes and make a quick tomato sauce with tinned toms, garlic, balsamic and dried herbs and pour that over the quinoa and dump the roasted veg on top.

It's good as a side for chilli.