Every now and then I pick up something fun from the grocery store with absolutely no idea what I'm going to do with it. Today, that item is fennel. Well, it's actually a plethora of things that I picked up from the not one, not two, but three grocery stores that I walked to today. Which seemed like a good idea when I simply thought that I was taking a jaunt up to the Italian grocery store and picking up a fun cheese. But three hours later the day and maybe the heat had gotten away with me! And I've really just wound up running around all day probably getting sunburned and having absolutely no idea what I'm making. The cheese and such is for making Homemade Ravioli. But one of the other mystery items that I picked up was fennel. Which is how I inevitably ended up with Fennel Quinoa.
Now, I did pick up some French green lentils from the Italian grocer and thought about using that with the fennel. But I tend to cook lentils more in the winter because of their heartiness and the general warm, fuzzy feeling that I get from them in the wintry months. So, I opted for quinoa, instead. Although I did go with the Italian theme kind of on accident with the green, white, and red stripes. Which was not intentional! But kind of fitting when I noticed it. I was really just looking for something bright and refreshing after galavanting around town all day on foot. Plus, quinoa is quick and easy to toss together.
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Variations of Fennel Quinoa
I don't always use fennel. Although I am quite fond of adding a plethora of produce, like sweet potatoes, carrots, brussel sprouts, and spinach. Quinoa is slightly bitter, so it balances out well with the natural sweetness of fruits and vegetables. Today, I opted for a bright and floral flavor profile with tomatoes, jalapeños, and lemon juice. Although this is a great recipe to mix and match in your own favorite produce or what you have on hand.
This Fennel Quinoa consists of tomatoes, jalapeños, fennel bulbs and fronds, quinoa, and freshly squeezed lemon juice for a bright and floral salad. This is incredibly refreshing on a hot summer day when a lettuce salad simply won't do. It's also a great dish to mix and match your own favorite fruits and vegetables with and make distinctly your own.
Add all of the ingredients, except for the lemon juice into a rice cooker. I like to start with the larger produce and then add the smaller ingredients. Top with the spices. And then add the quinoa and water.I like a crisper tomato, so I put one tomato in to cook and one after it cooked. Although this is entirely personal preference!This cooks the larger vegetables on the bottom, while dispersing the flavor profiles in the middle. Although with some mixing, this really doesn't matter all that much. Everything will eventually cook together!
Press the cook button on the rice cooker. It should take about 45 minutes to cook.
When the quinoa is fully cooked, let sit for 10 minutes and add the lemon juice and second tomato. Then, fluff with a wooden spoon and serve.Do not use a fork or other metal utensil. It will scratch off the nonstick surface on the rice cooker. This will leach teflon into your food and cause future dishes to stick to the bottom.
Tips, Tricks, & Notes
While quinoa is not rice, it does cook the same and oftentimes better than rice in a rice cooker. It typically takes 30-45 minutes. Alternatively you can simmer on the stove. Add all of the ingredients to a pot, bring uncovered to a boil, lower heat to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes and quinoa are tender. Turn off heat, add lid, and let sit another 5-10 minutes.
You can also easily substitute other vegetables or types of quinoa. For this recipe I used whatever I had ripening in my garden with royal quinoa. Royal quinoa is primarily cultivated in Bolivia and tends to have larger grains and a fluffier texture. I tend not to notice much of a difference between typical white quinoa and royal quinoa. But it’s always fun to explore! Red quinoa has a more prominent and nuttier flavor and tri-colored is largely the in-between variety.
Any quinoa, or even other grain or legume, like lentils or rice, would substitute in this recipe without changing the ratio.
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