Confession: we eat an embarrassingly large amount of quinoa at my house. For real. It’s a lot. But this actually makes me really excited, because everyone in my house is eating it! It’s full of fiber, protein, iron, and tons of vitamins. Little man will pretty much eat anything, and I’ve been working on getting the ole hubby to choose better quality carbs (he eats very healthy, but quinoa has a lot more nutritional value than white rice…), and he has made the switch. So we’re a quinoa family now! 😁 And this quinoa with cherries and pistachios will not disappoint, even the quinoa skeptics out there.
I am someone who thrives off of routine. I can pretty much eat the same exact thing every singe day and not think anything about it. It just gives me one less thing to think about and one less decision I have to make during the day. But sometimes, for the rest of my family’s sake, I like to figure out a way to “zhuzh” it up a little with something extra. Combining textures and flavors is so easy to do with quinoa because it’s so versatile. You could easily make a savory OR sweet dish with quinoa, and it turns out great.
So my quinoa with cherries and pistachios was born. I love me some dried cherries and for some reason pistachios remind me of my dad (he loved cracking and eating these things) so it’s a perfect combo. And then add in a little tangy dressing on top. Delish!
This side dish is full of superfoods. Quinoa is a pseudo-grain because it’s actually a seed. It’s a great source of fiber, protein, as well as minerals like manganese, phosphorus, folate, iron, magnesium, and zinc. Pistachios are also a great source of fiber as well as B-6, thiamine, and manganese. Cherries are full of fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, as well as antioxidants to help combat oxidative stress. Needless to say, this side dish is delicious AND nutritious.
Here’s what you need:
- quinoa
- pistachios
- dried cherries
- lime juice
- olive oil
- cumin
- salt and pepper
- optional maple syrup
And such easy assembly on this one! Quinoa cooks in about 18 minutes, dump in the cherries and pistachios, then the dressing is made easily by pouring all the ingredients in a mason jar and shaking it all up.
If you’re making this during COVID-19, I realize cherries and pistachios could be in short supply or just not something you’re going to the grocery store for. Try it out with dried cranberries or raisins, and then maybe some sliced almonds, walnuts or pecans to change up the nut/fruit combination.
But either way, it’s a deliciously healthy side dish for any meal!