Quinoa with Apricots and Walnuts

This is adapted from a couscous recipe on one of my favorite recipe websites: onceuponachef.com. I changed several of the ingredients (including the couscous) to accommodate my mother-in-law’s allergies, and I was pleasantly surprised at the result. It’s very quick to put together and very tasty. If you add the onions while the quinoa is hot, they will wilt and not have the strong flavor of raw onion. I’d also encourage you to check out the original recipe which uses a vinaigrette instead of a lemon dressing.

Servings: 4-6

Total Time: 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 tablespoons apricot preserves (I use Bonne Maman)
4-1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp onion
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or mint (optional)
1/3 cup sliced walnuts

Directions:

1. Bring the water and oil to a boil in a medium pot. Add the quinoa and stir. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 15 minutes or so until the quinoa is relatively translucent and soft. Let sit 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork so it doesn’t clump together.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot preserves, olive oil, lemon, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Add about three-quarters of the vinaigrette to the couscous and stir to combine. Taste and add the remaining vinaigrette, little by little, if necessary (you may not need it all). Be sure to add all the little chunks of apricot from the vinaigrette, as they tend to settle at the bottom of the bowl (just use a fork to fish them out).
3. Stir in the onions, herbs and sliced walnuts. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve warm or room temperature.