# What can I add to this quinoa I cooked... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 31, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468 "2015-01-31T22:25:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/1 "2015-01-31T22:25:32Z")
…so far I added a can of artichoke hearts, some lemon juice, and some olive oil. A little chopped red onion. It desperately needs something else, because it’s as blah as blah could be. Any ideas? (I had some quinoa at a restaurant a couple months ago with these ingredients, and that was tasty, but my attempt seems to be a big failure.) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2015, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/2 "2015-01-31T22:45:07Z")
Red pepper flakes. ETA and maybe some garlic salt. ---
**Author:** ![trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6f9a4e/32.png) [@trapezoidal\_jellyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trapezoidal_jellyfish)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/3 "2015-02-01T06:33:11Z")
Garlic and a little honey? I like to add something sweet when I’m using lemon juice or garlic to balance out the flavors a bit. You could also try a splash of rice vinegar, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2015, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/4 "2015-02-01T15:16:45Z")
I’ll try a bit of each. It’s been in the refrigerator overnight and is actually a little better this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/5 "2015-02-03T03:52:48Z")
Add some e. ---
**Author:** ![jellyblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@jellyblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellyblue)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/6 "2015-02-03T07:58:18Z")
I found a great recipe for quinoa in Cook’s Illustrated, but to simplify: it helps to toast the quinoa first, which you can do in a dry pan until it smells a little nutty, then take it out. Spray the pan with cooking spray and saute 1/2 a chopped onion in a bit of butter until it’s translucent. Add chicken stock, garlic pepper & quinoa (I use less liquid and more quinoa than generally called for), bring to a bowl, lower heat and simmer until done. I mix in some tarragon and a squeeze of lemon at the end and finish with some chopped pistachios. Leftovers make a nice cold lunch with some shredded radicchio, edamame, feta, balsaic dressing, pomegranate seeds, chopped apple… you get the idea :-). ---
**Author:** ![Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nikki_Tikki_Tavi)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/7 "2015-02-03T15:04:21Z")
One of my favorite quick meals is quinoa with a can of chopped tomatoes (the kind with jalapeños) and some chickpeas. Very simple but protein-heavy and more satisfying than cereal when you’re too tired to cook for real. Quinoa is also great cold on a salad with a lemony dressing. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/8 "2015-02-03T15:06:26Z")
My wife cooks this all the time : add some water chestnuts, green onion, black olive and soy sauce. Throw a few dabs of Sriracha on top for a little kick. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/9 "2015-02-03T17:21:00Z")
If it’s “as blah as blah could be” was it cooked without salt? I add cilantro. YMMV 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2015, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-can-i-add-to-this-quinoa-i-cooked/711468/10 "2015-02-03T17:54:01Z")
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