Spring Vegetable Quinoa

Spring is in the air- "achoooo!"  But besides pollen and allergies, with springtime comes some of my favorite fruits and vegetables.  I bought a bunch of beautiful locally grown organic asparagus at the market along with the cutest little carrots I've ever seen.  The carrots were dirty and fresh looking, and super sweet and crunchy. I had been wanting to make up some quinoa and the carrots and asparagus added just the color and freshness I desired. Quinoa is a seed/grain that is gluten free and very high in protein and vitamins.  Make sure to rinse the quinoa well of the natural soapins coating the seeds before cooking.  I love cooking up a pot of quinoa with whatever vegetables are in season because it's so easy to make and clean up! 

Spring Vegetable Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups of water
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of brown mushrooms
• 1 bunch of fresh asparagus
• 6 baby carrots, or 2-3 regular sized carrots
• 2 spring onions
• 1/2 a lemon
• olive oil, salt and pepper

Directions

1.  Soak quinoa in a bowl of water for at least 15 minutes, and then rinse several times in a sieve to wash away the soapins.
2.  Chop up the mushrooms and garlic and saute in olive oil in a pot until golden brown.
3.  Slice the spring onions and throw in the white parts first into the pot, and leave the green slices for later.
4.  Add the rinsed quinoa and the 2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil.  Then reduce heat to medium, cover and let quinoa steam for about 15 minutes. 
5.  Wash and cut carrots and asparagus into pretty bite sized pieces.
6.  Add carrots first, then the asparagus to the pot.  Cover and let veggies steam with the quinoa for about 10 or 15 minutes more. 
7.  When quinoa is fully cooked (the little tails will pop out) and the veggies are just tender and brightly colored, mix in salt and pepper and squeeze some lemon juice and mix altogether.
8.  Garnish with green spring onions slices and enjoy!