Pineapple Cashew Quinoa Stir Fry

This recipe is from Veganomicon, my new favorite cookbook. If you make the quinoa in advance this is very fast to put together. Have all your stir fry elements prepped in advance. This is a filling, high protein, refreshing dish!

Pineapple Cashew Quinoa Stir Fry

Quinoa
1 c. quinoa (I used 1/2 c. white, 1/2 red for color contrast)
1 c. pineapple juice
1 c. water
1/4 tsp. tamari

Stir Fry
4 oz. raw cashews
3 T. peanut oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 hot red chili pepper, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 c. edamame
1/2 c. fresh basil, sliced into thin shreads
2 T. fresh mint, finely chopped
2 c. fresh pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks
3 T. tamari
3 T. vegetable stock
1 T. mirin
Lime wedges to garnish

1. Prepare the quinoa first. (If you haven't used quinoa much, check out some tips below.) Combine the quinoa, juice, water, and tamari in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until all liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is plumped and translucent, about 12-14 minutes. It is best if you make this in advance and chill overnight, but otherwise, chill for one hour.

2. Toast cashew nuts and set aside.

3. Combine tamari, mirin, and vegetable stock and set aside.

4. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet or wok. Add scallions, garlic, chili pepper, and ginger. Stir fry for 2 minutes.

5. Add red pepper and edamame. Stir fry for 3 minutes.

6. Add basil and mint. Stir fry for 1 minute.

7. Add pineapple and quinoa. Add tamari, mirin, vegetable stock mixture and stir to coat.

8. Continue to stir-fry for 10 more minutes, or until quinoa is hot.

Serve with lime wedges and additional tamari.

Quinoa Info:

~Before cooking, the seeds must be rinsed to remove their bitter coating, called saponin. Quinoa is rinsed before it is packaged and sold, but it is best to rinse again at home before use to remove any of the powdery residue that may remain on the seeds. The presence of saponin is obvious by the production of a soapy looking "suds" when the seeds are swished in water. In nature this coating acts as a natural insect repellent.

~The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids.

~Quinoa thrives here in the San Luis Valley at 7500+ feet. Buy it locally from White Mountain Farm.

~Quinoa has been cultivated in South American Andes since at least 3,000 B.C.