About This Recipe
Before becoming vegan I didn’t eat a lot of different foods. I had never tried kale or tofu, let alone try to cook them. I bought the same items at the grocery store in college consisting of frozen chicken, the same veggies, ice cream, white rice, and microwave dinners. So I pretty much bought whatever was the easiest to cook and what was compatible with soy sauce. Maybe you can relate?
When I made the change to a vegan lifestyle I had no idea what to eat. It was easiest to just buy a ton of vegetables and order salads at a restaurant. I lost 10 pounds because the only thing I was eating was vegetables. I had to start getting creative and also, leave my comfort zone.
So, me buying new foods led to me having to learn how to cook. And trust me, I was not good at it. I burnt a lot of pans and made meals that did not taste good at all. Sometimes I still do. So this leads me to the mystery of how to cook (fluffy) quinoa.
To Start
The rule that I follow is the 2 to 1 ratio. What does this mean? For every part quinoa, you use 2 parts of water. So if you use a 1/2 cup of quinoa you will put in a cup of water or if you use 1 cup of quinoa you will use 2 cups of water. I don’t know if you noticed but it’s the same rule when cooking rice.
I like to put the quinoa and water in the pot and then heat it up, opposed to heating up the water and then adding the quinoa.
So in this recipe, as an example, I am using a cup of quinoa and 2 cups of water. I add the quinoa and water to the pot along with salt and 3-4 tbsp of olive oil. Oil is optional but I feel that it adds more flavor to the quinoa.
I am also using a small to a medium-sized pot. You don’t want to pot to be too big but also leave enough space in order for the quinoa to cook properly.
Place it on the stove and set the heat to high. Once the water starts to boil turn the heat down to simmer and cover the top.
Leave it for 20 minutes. I found that 20 minutes exactly works every time for me.
Note: I am also cooking 1 cup of quinoa every time. If you are cooking more or less just be sure to check on it every couple of minutes. You will know it’s done when the water is completely gone.
After 20 minutes your quinoa will be ready. It should look like all the water has been absorbed but the quinoa isn’t burnt or stuck to the sides of the pot. Turn off the heat and fluff it with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
How to Cook Fluffy Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup Quinoa
- 2 cups Water (use vegetable broth instead for more flavor)
- 3-4 tbsp Olive Oil optional
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add Quinoa, Water, Olive Oil, and Salt to a small to a medium-sized pot.
- Place the pot over high heat to bring to boil.
- Once water is boiling, lower heat to a simmer and cover pot.
- After 20 minutes, turn off heat and fluff quinoa with a fork. The water should be gone and the quinoa should not be sticking to the sides or the bottom of the pot.
- Add more salt and pepper to taste and serve!
Check out some of our other “How To’s”. Click here for: How to Press Tofu.
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