Here is something a bit different for Clever Muffin – it’s savoury and has two things never before featured: quinoa and pomegranate. Pomegranate is fun, quinoa is…
I have ‘issues’ with quinoa. When I first started this blog I had this conversation about 18 times with various people:
Well-meaning individual (WMI): Oh, you have a food blog, have you tried keeeenwaah yet?
Me: You mean quinoa?
WMI: Oh, it’s actually pronouced keeeenwwaaaah.
Me: You mean quinoa?
WMI: No, keeeenwaaaah…. It’s very healthy and *insert text here about how healthy and fab it is*.
Blah.
I refuse to do research on how to pronounce keeeennwaaah. You can show me links till your fingers are raw from typing. I don’t care. It’s a South American food, I believe, and Spanish is a phonetically written language. So, I will say it as written. I think it’s like people who go to Italian restaurants and suddenly start ordering food in a thick Italian accent. I’m so puzzled when my non-Italian friends who have never spoken Italian start saying: ‘si, I would like the marga-ritah piszzah’, I mean, WTF?
But now I have to hang my head in shame, as the other day this happened while eating out with a celiac friend:
Friend (looking at menu): What’s quinoa, is it gluten free?
Me: It’s keeeeeenwwaaaa, and yes it’s gluten free. *pause* Oh my god I’m so sorry, I hate people who insist on pronouncing it that way.
For those who have missed the gravy train quinoa is gluten free, it’s a grain, it’s healthy. You cook it one part quinoa, three parts water/stock. It’s also very trendy right now and is pronounced keeeeenwaaaahhhh.
Wow. Aren’t I a little catty today? This is why I should stick to baked goods. No one fights over how to pronounce chocolate. They just eat it.
Ingredients
600 mls vegetable stock
200 grams quinoa (I used black, it comes in various colours, use the one you wish)
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
75 grams toasted flaked almonds
Seeds of 1 pomegranate
50 mls olive oil
Method
- Place the stock and quinoa into a saucepan and cook over medium high, with lid partly on, for 12 minutes or until stock is absorbed
- In a large bowl place quinoa, lemon zest, flaked almonds and pomegranate seeds.
- Drizzle over olive then fluff up the quinoa with a fork. Season to taste, serve with your favourite meat dish.
Serves: 4-6 as a side dish.
Healthy? 280 calories if divided into six serves.
Gluten free? Yes.
Storage: Cover with cling film, will keep for a day or two in the fridge.
I have quinoa issues too…I remember seeing an interesting recipe using quinoa flakes about 6 months ago, so I dished out my $27 for the packet and of course I promptly forgot where I saw the recipe.
Now, more importantly, you didn’t actually mention how this tastes…looks interesting, but worthwhile making?
Haha – I got so carried away having a whine I never critiqued the recipe! The bursts of sweet pomegranate and lemon rind make a really effective taste contrast. Similarly the textures of the quinoa and almond and fun too – I don’t post a lot of savoury dishes so when I do it’s usually because I’m quite impressed with it.
I had this as a side with lamb meatballs.
Haha, nice musings… I sorta agree with you actually – it is sort of a silly pronunciation. Anyway, lovely looking salad, Aimee!
Yea, it is a silly. But so am I so it all evens out in the end :p
Haha. You say quinoa, I say keenwah 😉 But either way I’m glad you finally tried it! It’s one of my favorite grains to make because you don’t have to add much to make it a complete meal. This looks yummy!
Potato / poh-tato 🙂 It is a wonderful grain, despite my ranting 🙂
Ha! You had me absolutely giggling here Aimee! I like to pronounce it phonetically too. That and quince always throws me for a loop too. And I had to especially laugh at your comments about pronouncing things like an Italian. It drives Mike absolutely nuts. So I like to do it. LOL. All in good fun of course. Ricotta is my favorite one to get him with. Now…on to the food. I love pomegranate and keep meaning to try keenwaaaaah. They sound like a fantastic combo. 🙂
Glad I’m not the only one! How do you say quince if not phonetically? Now I’m genuinely worried …
Glad you’re keeping Mike on his toes, I must admit if I knew it was someone bug bear I’d be doing that too!
Hey look a savory dish. Your pronunciation, while spot on, made me chuckle. Looks great.
I am lmao at your post today. I hate how pretentious some people are when it comes to their foods. I don’t care how you say it as long as I can figure out what you are talking about!
Agreed! If I can work it out, then it must be OK 🙂
lol, Aimee. I just got on the keeenwhah bandwagon about 6 months ago. And I agree – I think it’s become a pretentious pasta/bread/rice thing-y (my technical term). But this does look delish!
There is something about a food becoming trendy that makes it a turn off, right? Then it’s extra annoying when you find out it’s actually yum! 🙂
I like you when you’re catty. The food, I can get a delicious keenwaahh dish on any ol’ blog, but the lmao fun…that is totally Aimee. 🙂 So glad I am back so I can smile through your posts again. I actually do love this keeeenwaaaah dish. Have not tried it yet with pomegranate seeds nor almonds. Double yay. And you know what, I just discovered i could eat it for breakfast yesterday, steeped in milk (coconut or almond is yum) instead of broth and a touch of either honey or agave (+cinnamon + vanilla) and it’s a nice change for breakfast. Got it off Offally Tasty blog (on my blogroll). No I don’t get paid by her. Trust me, I tell people on other blogs about you too. Sorry for the ramble…once you let me out of my cage, I am hard to control
I’m glad someone appreciates my cattiness! Glad your back Geni 🙂 I hadn’t considered keeenwaaah for breakfast with milk and honey, but I can totally see how that would work. Porridge-esque. I’ll check out Offally’s blog 🙂
Ooooo this looks yummy! I’m loving the addition of pomegranate…never tried it with quinoa. But I’m sure it’s delicious, especially since you made it. 🙂
Thanks Caroline! Pomegranate does make a somewhat plain grain far more exciting.
I really need to broaden my food horizons….