Quinoa Walnut Pilaf

I tried a new recipe tonight using quinoa. Chuck is not a fan. At all. He thinks quinoa looks and tastes like "hole-punched human flesh". Well, whatever. I guess I could say that rice looks and tastes like insect eggs if we get down to it and he eats rice all the time. To each his own.

Anyway, I am trying to cook more and meal plan and I had some quinoa that my coworker Julie gave me that I needed to use. I found a new recipe in the Dec/Jan Taste of Home cooking magazine that I decided to try. The 'official' recipe name is Quinoa with Peas and Onions, but I thought that was boring so I switched it to Quinoa Walnut Pilaf. It was very good. The flavor is subtle. I might try it with chicken broth instead of water next time just to give it a richer taste. But either way, I really liked it and was pleased to find another good quinoa recipe.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1-1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions
In a large saucepan, bring quinoa and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 12-15 minutes or until water is absorbed. Remove from the heat; fluff with a fork. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Stir into cooked quinoa. Add the peas, salt and pepper; heat through. Sprinkle with walnuts. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 2/3 cup equals 174 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 244 mg sodium, 26 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1 fat.