Orange Cranberry Quinoa Pilaf

Crazy about Quinoa ? You can turn a pot of basic quinoa into a more flavorful side dish in one easy step!  This is a simple recipe that can be enjoyed by your family any night of the week or it can be proudly served to guests for holidays or parties!

I thought I knew quinoa until I tasted my friend Noreen's orange cranberry quinoa. It was exceptional and an interesting side for her recent dinner party.

Noreen, like most of us, want healthy tasty dishes that can be made quickly and easily! This is it.
It cooks in one pot, in one step, and is no fuss. It can be served hot, or as my dear friend Laura likes her food for entertaining, at room temperature.

Laura ( co-author of Food No Matter What )_ explains that preparing dishes that also work well at room temperature makes entertaining easier. It frees up both the oven and the host/hostess.

All ingredients in the recipe are real food, gluten free, vegan, easy and delicious! It's good anytime of the year, but it would be also be perfect for Thanksgiving- perhaps as the stuffing for a baked acorn squash!

As a serving suggestion, I might decorate the border of the bowl with orange slices for some extra color!

Source of recipe: Helaine Ohayan 
Helaine loves quinoa and likes to experiment. This orange cranberry quinoa pilaf is actually her delicious creation. Helaine makes recipes that are healthy, quick and easy- like this one.  I can't wait to try her black beans and rice cooked in coconut milk which I will post as soon as I make it!

Ingredients:
1 cup of uncooked quinoa ( washed according to directions on the package)
Orange juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
Optional: 1 teaspoon of orange zest from an organic orange mixed in after cooking

Directions:
Follow the directions for cooking the quinoa, but substitute orange juice for the water. Add the dried cranberries and cook for the allotted time. Serve immediately or serve at room temperature.
* for a less sweet version, add 1/2 orange juice and 1/2 water

One of my other favorite quinoa dishes is my Asian Quinoa Coleslaw. The quinoa adds some heartiness to a basic slaw recipe. It's colorful vegan, gluten free, crunchy and delicious.

What is your favorite way to serve quinoa?
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