Quinoa Nut Pilaf with Roasted Dressed Beets

During a recent visit to the All Hallows’ Guest House in Norwich, England, Sr. Pamela (the Guest Mistress) served her own version of a nut loaf. It was fantastic, and inspired me to create my own. While she used rice and tomato sauce, I thought I would try quinoa and flax egg for my dish. This is more a pilaf than a nut-loaf (as was St. Pamela’s) and as such preserves the crunch and flavor of the nuts rather than creating a more uniform “meat-loaf” texture. This is pure comfort food. High in fat, to be sure, but savory, rich, and very, very satisfying. Perfect for a Sunday dinner or a celebration, but not something you would try every day! ~ Glyn and Will

Quinoa-Nut Pilaf (serves 4)

2¼ c raw, unsalted, assorted nuts. I used ¼ c each of:
Pecans
Walnuts
Peanuts
Almonds
Pine Nuts
Pumpkin Seeds
Hazelnuts
Cashews
Peanuts

1 c rainbow quinoa
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 c vegetable (or chicken or meat stock)
½ tsp. salt (optional)
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp. gluten-free soy sauce

2 flax eggs
Thoroughly combine 2 tbsp. ground flax seeds with 6 tbsp. water and refrigerate until cold and thick.

Roast the nuts for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Cool. Chop the nuts coarsely in a blender, food processor or by hand.

Saute the onion garlic and quinoa in the olive oil until the onions are translucent and the quinoa lightly browned. Stir in the vegetable stock. Add the flax egg and the soy sauce. Cover tightly and cook about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in the toasted nuts.

Serve with roasted beets.

Roasted Dressed Beets (serves 4)

I bunch each yellow and red beets, roasted

1 clove garlic, finely minced
¼ c white balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil

Wrap the beets in foil and roast at 350 for 1.5 hours. Cool slightly, peel and slice. Combine with the oil, vinegar and minced garlic. Let rest while the quinoa cooks. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.