Quinoa Jambalaya

Keen•Wah: A gluten-free alternative to rice or other grains and seeds. Also, for a plant, high in protein, fiber and iron. It's another SUPER FOOD.

Origins: Plain white rice is like, "Why bother?"

Traditional Jambalaya ingredients:

half pound of shrimp

1 andouille sausage

1 small can of tomato sauce

yellow bell peppers

yellow onion

garlic

cherry tomaters

and then we got crazy and picked up

zucchini

brown mushrooms

quinoa (in place of rice)

+olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder

Things to do first, go a head and cook the meats to about 99% done. And then you'll throw them in towards the end as the quinoa and vegetables finish cooking. I would grill if you have time/means to do so. It adds a lot of flavor. But it is easier to de-shell the shrimp if you boil them.

Before.

After. Then peel.

1 cup quinoa, 2 cups of water, boil until there's no more water. Chop veggies while you wait.

Begin our classic saute with olive oil, zucchini, salt, pepper, chili powder. Take a few minutes to poor yourself a glass of red wine. Come back and add your garlic and onions. Then add your peppers and mushrooms (I like to keep them larger cut because they provide a meaty-ness to it, replacing the chicken and shrink down too much otherwise).

When finished, pack into two small tubber ware containers, transfer the rest of your wine into a camelback, and rush to your friend Nolan's play. Don't eat in the middle of the small theatre, but finish the wine before the play is over. And then finally after you say Hi to the actors and tell them what a good job they did, go out to the parking lot and feast on your wonderful Jambalaya. The Recipe serves 5 people. Or only 3 if you have two portions for yourself.

While starving during the play, (too embarrassed to eat in such a small theatre) Laura turns to Hank:

"I'm so hungry."

"Just think about how it's marinating."

"I'm marinating just thinking about it marinating."

L-word,

Hank and Laura