Chef Erin Greene's Toasted Nut Quinoa

Chef Erin is a Toronto-based personal chef with whom I have worked on many occasions.  Her meals are always so creative and delicious!  This is a quinoa dish that she recently made for us.  Pronounced "keen-wah", it is very nearly  a perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids.  It is gluten-free and a great source of protein, although it looks like a grain.  It packs a tremendous nutritional punch!  As with most great chefs, she adjusts seasoning to taste, so while the recipe is a bit vague, it's very easy to create to perfection.  I have done it several times with awesome results.


2 cups quinoia, cooked according to package
1/4 cup finely chopped mint and 1/4 cup finely chopped basil
Zest of 1 lime
Fresh squeezed lime juice - start with about 1/4 of the lime and add per your taste
1/4 cup very finely chopped red onion
Soy sauce to taste (I prefer to use low-sodium, wheat-free tamari sauce)
Toasted almonds and hazelnuts - chopped / crushed
Ground pepper




Cook the quinoa according to package directions.  While cooking, crush and toast the nuts.  Don't pummel the nuts to smithereens - some crunch and texture adds to the dish!  Allow quinoa to cool.  Add zest of one lime.  Toss in  sesame oil ( 2- 3 tablespoons), lime juice and soy sauce to taste.  Add chopped basil and mint plus finely chopped onion.  Add nuts and pepper (to taste), toss together and taste.  Adjust seasoning as necessary.  Delicious hot or at room temperature.