Cilantro pesto quinoa

If you haven't tried quinoa or if you did and didn't like it, please give it another try. It took me a few tries, but now I love the nutty flavor and fluffy texture.

Quinoa is referred to as a grain, but it is actually a seed. It's related to leafy greens like spinach and swiss chard. It doesn't contain any gluten and is a great source of complete protein. Quinoa is also a great source of manganese, magnesium, iron, riboflavin (B2), and tryptophan.

When the weather was a little cooler, I would eat warm, comforting bowls of quinoa with ume vinegar and sesame oil. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I like cold quinoa salads with lots of colorful veggies mixed in.

Last night I made some quinoa and was looking for a new way to season it. I decided to make a version of this cilantro pesto. I used sunflower seeds and walnuts instead of pine nuts. I like this variation of pesto, it's much lighter without the cheese. This pesto added a punch to my quinoa and veggies.

Source: whfoods.org