Lemon Garlic Dressing (for Quinoa)

I was very excited to try this dressing because of the recommendation to pour it over quinoa (keen-wah). For a long time, I've wanted to find some new ways to use quinoa.

What is quinoa, you ask? Quinoa is an ancient South American grain. It is high in protein and quite nutritious. It has a bitter outer layer, though, so you must rinse it well before cooking it. Cooking quinoa is much like cooking rice. To cook 1 cup quinoa, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Stir in 1 cup well-rinsed quinoa (I use a mesh strainer to do this), turn heat to low and put a lid on the pan and allow it to cook for 20 minutes or until there are little white lines/curls coming off each quinoa grain.

Lemon Garlic Dressing

(Recipe found in the Vitamix Cookbook--they say "Pour over couscous, quinoa or use as a salad dressing.")

1 lemon, peeled, halved, seeded (or you could juice it)

1/2 tsp. hot sauce (I used Frank's)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. salt (I used a little less)

1/3 cup olive oil

If using a vitamix, combine all ingredients, except olive oil, into Vitamix container in order listed. Select variable 1 and turn machine on. Quickly increase speed to variable 10, then to high. Blend for 1 minute, using tamper to press the ingredients into the blades. Reduce speed to variable 7 and remove the lid plug. While machine is running, slowly pour in oil through the lid plug opening. Blend for 20 seconds. Serve.

If not using a Vitamix, combine all ingredients in a small food processor, or using a hand blender, or mix in a regular blender. If you juice your lemon, you could simply whisk all the ingredients until well combined.

I thought this dressing was delicous poured over quinoa like this (I think next time, I'll add some stir-fried onions, carrots, and celery to it):

This time, it was even better with black beans on top. I think quinoa and black beans are a spectacular food pairing. This was my dinner entree the other night.