Ingredients:

• 1 c. organic quinoa
• 2 c. water
• organic coconut oil
• 2 cloves organic garlic, mashed or grated
• 1/4 c. finely chopped organic onion
• 1/4 c. toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 c. chopped organic dried apricots
• 1/4 c. organic raisins
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1 t. curry powder (optional)
• salt to taste
• fresh ground pepper (if not using curry powder)

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa in water and set aside to cool, in a large bowl.
2. Saute onion and garlic in coconut oil until soft.  Then add pine nuts, apricots, raisins, and spices, stirring well to coat.  Add to quinoa and toss to distribute evenly.
3. Return pilaf to pot or skillet and heat thoroughly.

   Return pilaf to pot or skillet and heat thoroughly.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup white quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup shelled raw sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup shelled raw pistachios, chopped
• 1 cup dried apricots, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse quinoa thoroughly in a fine sieve; drain. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa; return to a boil. Stir quinoa; cover, and reduce heat. Simmer until most liquid is absorbed and quinoa is slightly undercooked, about 12 minutes; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, fluffing with a fork occasionally, until pale golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool in a large bowl.
2. Spread oats on baking sheet; bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add oats to quinoa. Spread seeds on baking sheet; bake until lightly toasted, about 7 minutes. Add to quinoa mixture; let cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
3. Toss nuts, apricots, sugar, and salt with quinoa mixture. Beat honey, oil, and vanilla into eggs; stir into quinoa mixture.
4. Line a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment; lightly coat with cooking spray. Spoon 1/4 cup batter onto sheet for each cluster; space 3 inches apart. Flatten to 1/4 inch thick. Bake, rotating sheet halfway through, until crisp, about 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Store, loosely covered with foil, up to 2 days.

Makes 20.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed and drained (about 4 Cups cooked)
• 2 ears corn, kernels cut from cob
• 1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Sea salt
• 1 medium head red-leaf lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried, small inner leaves reserved for future use
• 2 ripe medium tomatoes, cored and cut in thin wedges
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

Directions:

1. Bring 2 3/4 cups water to boil in a small saucepan and stir in the quinoa and some salt. Return to boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, place corn kernels on top of quinoa, cover pan, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir corn into quinoa, remove from pan, and spread out on baking sheet to cool for about 20 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, oil, and salt to taste; set aside.
3. Place cooled quinoa and corn, red pepper, cucumber, scallions, jalapeno, and cilantro in large bowl. Add 1/2 cup dressing (or more to taste) and salt to taste; mix until combined.
4. Place large lettuce leaves side by side in a circle around a large serving platter so the curly tops extend just beyond the platter rim. Mound quinoa salad in center.
5. Arrange tomato, avocado, and lime around quinoa on top of leaves. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds over salad. Serve immediately or hold briefly at room temperature.  Per serving: 643 calories; 17 g protein; 34 g fat; 76 g carb; 13 g fiber.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup (3 ounces) quinoa
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds discarded, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/8 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 large celery stalk, diced
• 1 lime, halved

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast almonds until crisp, lightly browned, and fragrant, about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear; drain well.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium heat. Add yellow pepper, garlic, scallions, and red-pepper flakes; cook until the pepper is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in quinoa, thyme, 1 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 7 minutes. Stir in zucchini, cover, and cook until quinoa is tender but not mushy, 5 to 8 minutes longer. Remove the saucepan from heat.
4. Stir in celery, almonds, and remaining 2 teaspoons oil, season with salt, and fluff with a fork. Cool to room temperature before packing into two containers and refrigerating. When ready to eat, squeeze lime over salad, if desired. Serve with additional lime wedge and thyme, if desired.

Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup rinsed quinoa
• 1 medium carrot, cut in large chunks
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 15 ounces great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt
• Ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 pitas (each 6 inches)
• ½ English cucumber, thinly sliced diagonally

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring ¾ cup water to a boil; add quiona, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed, 12 to 14 minutes; set aside.
2. In a food processor, pulse carrot until finely chopped. Add cooked quinoa, half the scallions, beans, breadcrumbs, egg, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; pulse until combined but still slightly chunky.
3. Form mixture into four ¾-inch-thick paties (dip hands in water to prevent sticking). If too soft, refrigerate 10 minutes to firm. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium; cook burgers until browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, and the remaining scallions; season with salt and pepper. Serve burgers in pita topped with cucumber and yogurt sauce.

Serves 4.