Quinoa paella

with prawns

Paella purists would be shocked that a dish based on quinoa could be called paella, but this really hits the spot!

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About this Recipe

By: Amanda

A Valencian chef once observed that ‘paella has as many recipes as there are villages, and nearly as many as there are cooks.”   Paella purists may be shocked that a dish based on quinoa could be called paella, but this recipe, adapted from FatFreeVegan.com, may even impress a few Spaniards!

Servings

4-6

Ingredients

Step by Step Instructions

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, crushed

250 grams large prawns (fresh or frozen)

170 grams quinoa

1/4 teaspoon saffron (crushed) or turmeric

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 pinch cayenne pepper

400 grams can chopped tomatoes

400 grams can kidney beans, rinsed & drained

1 red pepper (capsicum), diced

700 millilitres vegetable or fish stock

2 courgettes, halved lengthways and sliced

100 grams frozen peas

6 fresh artichoke hearts, cut into quarters

Step 1

Gently heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onion and garlic, until soft.

Step 2

Add the prawns, quinoa and saffron (or turmeric) and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously.

Step 3

Add the paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, kidney beans, red pepper and stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.

Step 4

Check to see if more stock is needed (if it looks dry), then stir in the peas and place the courgette on top of the quinoa and re-cover, cooking for a further 5 minutes, until the quinoa is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed (it should still be al dente and not soggy).

Step 5

Arrange the artichoke hearts on top and serve.

Nutrition

Artichokes contain a wide range of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium and magnesium. They are a good source of dietary fibre and support digestive function, as well as the liver.

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