author: steveandsarah
created: 2009-07-14 23:53:20
servings: 2-3
notes:
This isn't really even a recipe but I figured I'd share it since it has been my default bring-to-work lunch since asparagus started showing up in the farmers markets here--which it did a few months ago and it's still going strong--and I'm still not sick of it! It's easy to make and keeps well for a few days in the fridge as well as surviving the morning at work without being refrigerated. You can vary the grain; sometimes I use bulgur wheat instead of quinoa depending on what we have.
recipe:
1 cup quinoa 2-3 bunches of asparagus * feta cheese--as much as you like olive oil lemon salt and pepper pine nuts (optional) * I usually use either half a bunch or 1 bunch of asparagus per portion, depending on the size of the asparagus and the amount that we have. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Heat some olive oil in a pan and then cook the quinoa until it smells toasty. Add 2 cups of water and then leave the quinoa to simmer until the water is absorbed. In the meantime put a couple of inches of water in a pan to boil. Cut the asparagus stalks into thirds and blanch for a minute or two in the water (or you could steam them, which probably preserves more nutrients; I always think it's a shame I boiled it when I pour the pan of green water into the sink!) and then drain it and leave to cool. Since this amount is usually enough for 3 packed lunches at this point I put two thirds of the asparagus and quinoa into a container and refrigerate it. Then I prepare a single portion for that day's lunch: add to the remaining asparagus and quinoa crumbled feta, olive oil, a good squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper and some pine nuts if you like.