Quinoa with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

This makes a great side dish! You can buy this in the Organic section of your grocery store. IMPORTANT! Rinse quinoa in a fine strainer before cooking. You can substitute toasted pine nuts for the pumpkin seeds if you wish. They are very expensive and I couldn't justify buying them when we already had pumpkin seeds in our pantry. Trying out the antique juicer I bought for a buck at a garage sale last weekend. Quinoa with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
If you’ve never tried quinoa (keen’-wah) before, now’s the time to try it. It originated in the Andes and was a staple of the Inca, Maya and other Native Americans for centuries. It means ‘Mother Grain.’ It’s gluten-free and has the best amino acid profile of all the grains. The lime juice in this dish gives it a fresh taste. We liked it so much we will substitute it for rice in some of our dishes. It’s very important to rinse the quinoa before cooking. It has a natural coating on it that repels insects and will taste bitter if not removed.		Total Time: 20 min for 2 people Serves 2
1 cup Quinoa 1 ¼ cups water 1/8 teaspoon salt	Rinse quinoa with cold water in fine mesh strainer until no longer foams, drain. Place in sauce pan, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes. Remove, place in bowl and toss to cool
1 cup chickpeas ½ cup matchstick carrots ¼ cup sweet onion 2 garlic cloves 8 – 12 cherry tomatoes 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro ½ cup roasted pumpkin seeds 3 Tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon lime zest 4 teaspoons olive oil ½ teaspoon ground cumin Salt and pepper to taste	Drain Mince Mince Cut in half Mince Mix all ingredients with the cooled quinoa, toss and serve