Unless wrapped in sweet cinnamon and a bagel, or oatmeal and a cookie, I am not the hugest fan of dark raisins. However, golden raisins…they’re a different story.
Tri-Color Quinoa with Golden Raisins and Pecans has made a believer out of me!
I do understand that there’s not a lot of difference between them, other than the process used to develop their color, with the dark ones spending more time in the sun and the golden having a little bath of warm water plus a preservative to maintain their lovely amber glow, even their nutritional value is nearly identical; but the golden raisins are a tiny bit sweeter and a tiny bit plumper and I guess that’s all the difference I need.
So I’ve been staring at two bags of Trader Joe’s tri-color quinoa in my pantry long enough. My girls have been making some creative dishes using quinoa lately so they inspired me to do the same.
We love quinoa and this tri-color version is as close to a party on a plate as you can come.
And by adding my favorite golden raisins along with rich-flavored, energy boosting, vitamin and mineral enriched pecans and butter-softened minced shallot – it’s a dish worth writing about.
This quinoa is a healthful blend of three snappy grains – red, golden and black.
It’s gluten-free, a complete protein, and as super a food as they come. And with the help of America’s Test Kitchen, I have discovered a fool-proof way to make fluffy, evenly cooked quinoa. The secret lies in letting the grains dry, after rinsing, for 15 minutes on a towel lined baking sheet and then toasting them until they become very fragrant before simmering them in water. Bam.
I munched on it all day and luckily made enough for Dom to share when he got home. And then….I felt so good about my decision to eat healthfully, I dusted off the treadmill, laced up my sneakers and ran two miles. It felt so good to feel those achy knees again!
That’s no joke.
Thankfully, it’s nothing a little icepack can’t help – but man, it felt good to break a sweat and crank my Spotify while viewing Family Feud with the volume turned down.
See that…one good decision led to a second good decision…kinda like when you give a mouse a cookie…oh boy…
I need to come up with a quinoa cookie! Any ideas?
Have a happy healthy weekend, my friends!
Buon Appetito!
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Tri-Color Quinoa with Golden Raisins & Pecans
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa
- 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 5 – 6 Tbsp. shallot, chopped
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse the grains in a fine-mesh strainer, drain, and spread evenly on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a dish towel.
- Let dry for 15 minutes.
- After the 15 minutes, toast quinoa in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until very fragrant and makes continuous popping sound, around 5 -7 minutes.
- Transfer quinoa to a bowl and set aside.
- Return the empty saucepan to medium-low heat and melt butter.
- Add shallot and salt; cook, stirring frequently, until shallot is softened and light golden.
- Increase heat to medium-high, stir in water and quinoa, and bring to a simmer.
- Cover, reduce heat to low.
- Simmer until grains are just tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes, stirring once half-way through.
- Remove pan from heat and let sit, covered for 10 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork, stir in raisins, pecans and lemon juice.
- Serve.
Ciao!
can’t wait to try making quinoa now that I know the secret. Cheers!
I hope you like it!! Don’t be afraid to go crazy with the raisins and the pecans!! Cheers!
Quinoa salads are the best and the simplicity of this one allows the flavors to shine! I’m with you on raisins… the gold are a favorite. The dark raisins always seem to dry and I’m too lazy to soak them. I’ve never toasted my quinoa before cooking it, something I’m looking forward to trying! Gorgeous salad! Thank you, Annie!
I have never soaked a raisin a day in my life! Maybe a fig! haha! Love it! Yes, golden raisins are right up my alley and they really hit the spot in this quinoa! Thanks, Traci!
We’re on the same page with raisins – they definitely have to be in a baked good before I’m interested, but golden raisins I can eat by the handfuls! This looks like a great packed lunch idea! 🙂
Awesome lunch…awesome dinner…Quinoa with nuts and raisins makes it easy to be good! Thanks, dear!
I applaud you for making me want to eat quinoa. Very few people can achieve that!
Why thank you, dear!! 🙂
This is such an interesting recipe, I can’t wait to try it!
Hope you like it!! Thanks, Amanda!! 🙂
This quinoa looks amazingly tasty! Love the addition of raisins and pecans- delish.
Thank you, dear! It’s yummy!
What a wonderful dish. I love the various textures, and the sweetness of the golden raisins, along with the nuttiness of the pecan meats must really amp up the flavor of the quinoa. Brava e buon anno a te!
Grazie, Adri!! It is a nice dish! Brava e buon anno a te! 🙂
I’ve never cooked with quinoa before, but I recently bought a package (darn you, New Year’s resolutions!) and it gives me the stink-eye every time I open the pantry. If having some for dinner will motivate me to get on the elliptical then I’m game — will definitely take your tips into considerations, sounds like you know the tricks to perfect quinoa! 🙂
Yes! It’s time to show that quinoa who’s boss! Enjoy! I’d love to know how you like it! Thanks, April! 🙂
What a creative way to use quinoa! I’ve never tried the tri color version, but it sounds delicious. Love the addition of the raisins and pecans!
It is such a satisfying meal! Thanks, Danielle!
What a coincidence! Even I have a quinoa recipe on my blog today 🙂 though it’s not tri color…this looks really good n healthy Annie..I have also made quinoa with raisins once and it was nice!
That is a coincidence! Somethin’ in the air! Don’t you just love quinoa? Thanks for stopping by, Manali!
The tri-colored quinoa is my favorite – it looks so pretty especially with the golden raisins and pecans! I am always looking for new ways to make quinoa too and I love this simple and tasty flavor combination!
Thanks, Kelly! It’s fun to add different ingredients to dress up quinoa! The nutty sweet flavor of this combination is quite nice. Have a great weekend!! 🙂
This looks fantastic Annie! I love quinoa, but am still working on the rest of my family. 🙁 They won’t eat it, so I’m kind of on my own. At least it tastes different depending on what you do with it so I’m still holding out hope that they’ll eat (and enjoy!) it eventually! Maybe this recipe will be the ticket! Pinned!
You never know…these golden raisins are nice and sweet! Kids love them! And who doesn’t like a pecan? I hope this one does it for you, Stacey! Good luck! Enjoy!
Hey Annie, you know I love quinoa! And this trip color one sounds and looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it! Pinned to a couple of boards 🙂
I know you do!! This tricolor variety is an interesting option! Enjoy!! Thanks for pinning, my dear! 🙂
Annie, does the prep method you described improve the taste of quinoa? I’ve tried rinsing but always end up with a slightly bitter grain, and my husband refuses to eat it. I keep thinking I can win him over if I just do something different. Also, I’ve never tried the tri-color variety and am wondering if that helps too.
I believe this method did help to curb the bitterness. It had more of a nutty taste, which likely locked in during the toasting step. Plus the addition of fun ingredients helps to balance out the flavors. I hope you can convince him to give it one more try. Good luck!
I’ve never had tri-colored quinoa before! Love this dish, Annie! And I love golden raisins, too, especially in salads. I could just eat them by the handful! This sounds like the perfect lunch to me. Have a wonderful weekend, friend!
I’m with you – I could eat them by the handful as well! As a matter of fact, while I was preparing this dish, I made a major dent in the box of raisins as I was cooking! Thanks, dear! Have a great weekend!
We love quinoa here but haven’t seen the trip-colored variety, I’ll have to look out for it! Love how your girls are getting into the cooking scene and experimenting with quinoa. Pecans are my favorite nut and I’m a very nutty girl!
Ha.
Hah! Looks like we have another thing in common…I’m a nutty girl, too! Maybe it’s Buffalo… Actually, my girls introduced me to quinoa last summer and I loved it immediately! This makes for a really nice lunch or side-dish. Thanks, Laura! Have a great weekend!
I totally love tricolor quinoa! It’s seriously so pretty… love the use of pecans, too! Nuts in savory dishes is the way to go 🙂
Why thank you, Medha!! Have a lovely weekend! 🙂