Jodi Balis is Capital Area Food Bank’s Resident Dietitian. Follow her on Twitter at @TheRedLentil
Reston Interfaith, one of the Capital Area Food Bank’s partner agencies in Virginia, initiated a community wide recipe contest among clients who use their services.
This recipe, Quinoa with Fruit, is the winner of the contest. Contenders included Turkey Meatballs and Tabouli (a Middle Eastern grain dish).
Engaging the community in opportunities such as a recipe contest opens up a space for sharing food ideas. Eating healthily on a budget is about sharing these ideas with neighbors, friends and family. Whether it’s a new take on an oldie, or something completely new and different, part of eating healthily on a budget is learning about new ways of preparing foods through others.
A note about quinoa, the star ingredient of this dish. . . quinoa is a protein packed grain that is used in South American cooking. Through the addition of yogurt, fruit and cinnamon, the versatile quinoa is converted to the sweet side, making a satisfying breakfast, snack or dessert.
Ingredients
Makes 6 -8 servings
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
2 cups plain yogurt
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon cinnamon plus a pinch for garnish
2 teaspoons fresh chopped mint leaves
2 cups chopped fresh fruit (papaya, strawberries, banana, pineapple, peach, or pear)
½ cup raisins
¼ cup toasted shredded coconut
Directions
Cook Quinoa
Add 1 cup quinoa to 2 cups boiling water. Add cinnamon and cloves. Reduce to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes or until all the water is cooked off and grains are translucent.
Combine Ingredients
While the quinoa is cooling, in a separate bowl, combine yogurt, honey, cinnamon, and chopped mint. Add the fruit and raisins to the quinoa and mix.
Combine fruit and raisins with quinoa, then add yogurt mixture. Refrigerate for an hour before serving and garnish with coconut and ground cinnamon.