Quinoa Paella

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1/4 cups Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup Quinoa, rinsed

1 pinch Saffron

2 cups Chicken, Cooked, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 lb Chorizo, cut into slices, about 1/4 inch thick

4 oz Black Olives

1 cup Peas, If using frozen peas, defrost first.

3 cups Chicken Broth

 Salt and Pepper, to taste

 Red Pepper Flakes, to taste

2 Red Bell Pepper, sliced into slivers

6 large Shrimp, Deveined. Can add more if desired

12  Clams, Scrubbed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized pan, saute onion and garlic in half the olive oil. Add quinoa and saffron, continue to sauté, stirring frequently. In a separate pan, saute chicken and sausage in remaining olive oil until brown.

In a large casserole dish, mix together chicken, sausage, olives, peas, chicken stock and quinoa mixture. Add salt and red pepper, if desired.

Cover and bake for 45 minutes or until quinoa has absorbed all liquid. Add sweet red peppers, shrimp and clams. Cover and bake 10 additional minutes.

Other Quinoa Cooking Tips

Quinoa is an ideal substitute for rice, bulgar or couscous.

For added flavor, cook in chicken broth instead of water.

For a nutty flavor, toast quinoa before cooking. To toast, put quinoa in a non-stick saute pan with or without a small amount of oil. Heat to medium and stir constantly until golden brown in color. (It will pop while it toasts).

Create a simple and delicious side dish for any meal by adding any of the following to cooked quinoa: sautéed onions; green pepper; mushrooms; toasted almonds, peanuts or other nuts; raisins or chopped dates; chopped parsley, cilantro or other herbs.