Recipe # 19: Vegan Risotto

Given my recent infatuation with nutritional yeast, I’ve been trying to find great ways to incorporate it into my diet. I love putting it on my falafel salads with a bit of tahini dressing or over a salad. With the cheesy taste it would be easy to try and make a sauce with it and put it over pasta for a macaroni and cheese dish. However, I’ve been in a quick-and-easy phase and tried something that turned into pure enjoyment. When you remove the grains, there will be some excess water that will help make a sauce. This goes great with broccoli or tofu as a side. Also, it would be a great and healthy addition to an omnivorous meal so feel free to share it with your friends. If you want to spice it up, add in the cayenne pepper for a nice kick!

Vegan Risotto
 

2 cups water
½ cup quinoa
½ cup amaranth
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Bring the water to a boil in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Add the quinoa and amaranth, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes and remove from the heat. Add the nutritional yeast, olive oil and salt, stirring to incorporate and form a sauce. Let sit for 5 minutes covered, serve and enjoy.

Recipe # 2: Quinoa-Amaranth Blend

 This versatile blend can be used as a healthy, more nutritious alternative to pasta and rice.  In most dishes, you can replace the grain with this blend for a nuttier flavor and more texture.

Quinoa-Amaranth Blend

¾ cup quinoa
¼ cup amaranth
2 cups water

In a 2 quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the grains, and stir. Bring the liquid back to a boil, and reduce to a light simmer and cover. Stir 1 or 2 times throughout cooking to prevent sticking. Depending on your heat, the grains should be done in 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir. Cover the pot, again, and set aside for 5 minutes. Fluff the grains with a fork and enjoy! May be eaten by itself or as a side to another amazing dish.

*Yes, you need to let the quinoa sit after cooking. Trust me, it does make a difference!

*This blend is great on its own or drizzled with a bit of quality extra virgin olive oil. Additional suggestions:

• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
• Paprika, olive oil and sea salt
• Olive oil and a touch of cayenne pepper (or more, if you have a taste for spice like me!)
• Marjoram and pepper (for a distinctive, refreshing side)

Amazing Amaranth

Amaranth, like quinoa, is a new addition to the pantry.  Widely used among ancient civilizations, amaranth is prized for being a complete protein, providing all the essential amino acids.  When sprouted, the leafy greens may also be consumed as part of a meal.  Higher in fiber than quinoa, amaranth has a sticky texture when cooked alone.  For this reason, amaranth is usually used as a secondary grain to great a blend.  When blending amaranth into a grain, keep the ratio below one-third and follow the cooking directions of the base grain.  I like to blend my amaranth into quinoa, both red and white, to increase the nutritional potency and enhance the nutty flavor of both grains.