Jamaican Quinoa And Peas

Jamaican Quinoa Rice And Peas is now my new favorite way of preparing my favorite childhood side dish, Rice And Peas, it’s rich, the creamy coconut flavor is so incredibly delicious.

It is easy to prepare and cooks in only 25 minutes. The recipe turned out great, and so addictive, you could basically eat it with a salad and be content or serve it as a side dish. 

I decided to substitute quinoa for traditional rice and peas like Jamaican Rice And Pigeon Peas, Jamaican Rice, And Peas.  Lately, I have been eating more quinoa than rice.

Jamaican Quinoa And Peas

Quinoa is an amazing pseudo-grain that typically cooks between 15-20 minutes, and has similar nutritional value to whole grains. Quinoa is gluten-free, high in protein, low in carbohydrates, and tastes phenomenal when cooked in this flavorful Jamaican coconut sauce.

For someone who wants to take a break from grains, who wants to add variety to their meal plan then Quinoa is definitely the answer. I find it is easier to digest than rice and it saves more time than cooking brown rice. 

Jamaican Quinoa And Peas Ingredients

• Quinoa – purchase quinoa at a health food store, or online. I used white quinoa but there is also black and red quinoa. In this particular recipe, I cooked the quinoa and peas for 25 minutes, 5 minutes longer than I typically would.
• Coconut Milk – fresh coconut is best but if it isn’t available use can coconut milk.
• Water – I used equal parts of water to coconut milk.
• Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Green Onion – make sure to chop finely, will add flavor to your quinoa.
• Thyme – herb of choice for making authentic Jamaican rice. Use fresh sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried. 
• Dark Kidney Beans -I love to use dark red kidney beans but light red ones are fine.
• Salt – I used Himalayan Salt.
• Scotch Bonnet Pepper – this is the traditional pepper that I use whole, if you can’t find it, you can substitute with peppers found in the Caribbean stores like habanero or Caribbean flavor peppers.

How To Make Jamaican Quinoa And Peas?

1. Wash quinoa using a fine-mesh strainer, and set aside. 
2. Bring coconut milk, water, to a boil in a saucepan.
3. Add onion, garlic, ginger, green onion, thyme, kidney beans, salt, and pepper.
4. Return to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add washed quinoa, bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan with parchment paper, followed by the lid of the saucepan.
6. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook for 25 minutes, until quinoa is tender and all the liquid is gone. Fluff with a fork and serve.

How To Store Quinoa And Peas?

Cool your quinoa and peas completely, store in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for about 3 days. Place in a freezer-safe container for one month.

What Can I Serve With Quinoa And Peas?

1. Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
2. Curry Cabbage
3. Cauliflower Curry
4. Lentil Meatballs
5. Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Other Vegan Quinoa Recipes To Prepare

1. Cilantro Lime Quinoa
2. Vegan Kimchi Fried Quinoa
3. Pineapple Fried Quinoa
4. Italian Quinoa Fried Rice
5. Cajun Quinoa Pilaf

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