So, those of you who know me well may know that quinoa and I are not friends. I’m not sure if it’s a full-blown food allergy, but I have a strong enough reaction to know to stay away. It seems kind of ironic that I should be unable to eat a food often suggested to people with gluten intolerance. Me and gluten are just fine, for the record.

However, quinoa is a nutrient-dense, versatile food that I would recommend to anyone who doesn’t share my sensitivity.

At the clinic on Friday, we did another of the “Feed Your Immune System” workshop. We put out a lot of the same foods, including my supervisor’s quinoa dish, which was a hit at the last two events. She was kind enough to let me share her recipe, which calls for delicious spices and pumpkin seeds.

Here it is:

• Take one cup of quinoa
• Rinse grains once or twice (use a sieve)
• Boil 2 cups filtered water in a pan or pot
• Add a little sea salt while water is heating
• When water starts boiling, add the cup of quinoa
• Stir while mixing quinoa with water
• Cook the quinoa (takes 8-10 minutes) on low to moderate heat
• Towards the end, add a few teaspoons of raw pumpkin seeds
• Once cooked, cover the pan with a lid
• Warm 1-2 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil in a saucepan and while the oil is hot add 1/4 tsp cumin seeds, pinch of asafoetida, and pinch of red chili powder, and add this mixture to the quinoa, then add 1 tsp coriander and cumin powder
• Add hemp seeds to the quinoa is desired

I’m planning to try making this with another grain. The spices can be found at Indian grocery stores and some of them also in mainstream markets. If anyone tries this, definitely let me know what you think!

Hope you’re having a great weekend.