Quinoa Pilaf

It's been a rainy, rainy day here. And we're all really, really bored. Which led to cleaning out the pantry. Which led to finding the ginormous bag of quinoa I bought at Costco back in January (you know - when we all have every intention of eating better?). So, why not make something with it?

There are thousands of quinoa recipes, and it can be used in everything from side dishes to baked goods. It's a healthy grain, packed full of nutrients, and much healthier than the white rice and pasta we eat so often. I decided to try a pilaf. After looking around the web a bit, I got an idea of ratios, and then just went with what was on hand. It was just as good as a side dish as rice, and I think this might replace the typical rice side dishes we have so often.

Quinoa Pilaf

1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
10 baby carrots, sliced thinly
1 stalk celery, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups broth (chicken, vegetable)

Rinse the quinoa at least once (I rinsed twice) in a strainer. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and saute for about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and garlic, and give it a few stirs before adding the broth. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmering for about 15 minutes.
Serve hot. (I think you could also serve cold, but something about that sounds icky to me.)