Love at First Bite: A Quick Dinner Idea featuring Quinoa Pasta

The first time I had quinoa pasta, it was love at first sight...or perhaps one could say, love at first bite!

It is a mix of quinoa and corn flours and comes in a few different shapes.

I get my supply in the bulk section at Community Food Co-op in Bellingham, though I have seen it sold in boxes at other natural food stores.

 
Quinoa pasta is by far the closest thing to wheat pasta that I have ever eaten.  It doesn't get mushy like rice pasta and it is slightly softer than corn pasta.  My husband really likes it too, so proudly, quinoa pasta is the primary pasta in our house.

This is our favorite way of eating it:

Simple but delicious!

I love this meal because of its versatility: I can use any pasta you like and any vegetables that I am craving.

Throughout the years, we have been inspired by aspects of other pasta dishes and this is what we have come up with.  The options are limitless and each time we make it we have a different product, so may this be but an inspiration to you.

Quinoa Pasta Stir-fry

1. Fill a pot with water and begin the boiling process.  Add pasta when water is boiling and boil about 10 minutes, or until your desired pasta consistency.
2. Stir-fry your favorite vegetables* together in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-low heat.
   
3. Add your spices and flavorings** of choice. 
4. Before your drain your pasta, add a couple of ladles of  the pasta water to your vegetable mixture.
5. Then you can drain pasta and add to vegetable mixture.
6. Stir together and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Notes:
*Our favorite vegetables to use are: bell peppers, mushrooms, grape tomatoes and zucchini. 
**Tonight we used garlic, lemon juice, salt and fresh basil

Top 5 Ingredients I love!

People are frequently wanting to know replacements that I use and where I find them.  
Here is a list of my top 5 favorite and most used ingredients that allow me to eat like everyone else.

#5. Daiya meant that I can eat pizza again! Use it to replace cheese on pasta, pizza, nachos, I use:

Daiya Cheese

*You can buy Daiya at Save-on, Superstore, or any specialty food Stores

  

 #4. To replace butter and margarine in baking and cooking, I use: 

Earth Balance Vegan Spread

*You can buy Earth Balance anywhere, though I prefer to buy the large container at
Community Food Co-op in Bellingham, it's cheaper.

#3. I have tried a few different brands of Gluten Free bread, this one is by far my favorite. 

Udi's Gluten Free Bread & Buns

*You can buy it at most stores, but I like to get mine on sale or at Trader Joe's and freeze it

#2. I could live without coconut oil, but I don't want to.  I get mine at Trader Joe's, but it is sold in a lot of places.

I use it for all sorts of things: replacement for oil and butter in baking & cooking, spread on my bread and as a nightly face moisturizer.

Coconut Oil

* I came across this great post today on 52 uses for coconut Oil. 
Check it out here

#1. Quinoa.  I could not eat without Quinoa.  I eat it as is, as pasta and as flour.

Quinoa Flour, Quinoa, & Quinoa Pasta

* I buy the flour and pasta at Community Food Co-op and the bag of quinoa at Costco (4lbs for $9!).



I hope these ingredients can be as helpful in your kitchen as they are mine.