Veggie Foodie

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons (or a bit more) canola, safflower, or olive oil
• 6 or 8 green onions (scallions) chopped finely
• 1/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper or 1 jalapeno pepper minced after removing seeds and veins
• 1 cup green beans, rinsed, trimmed, and cut into 1/4 pieces
• 1 cup carrots, rinsed and cut into sugar cube-size small pieces
• 2 1/4 cups boiling water with 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 3 whole cardamom pods
• 1 stick of cinnamon broken into small bits
• 3 whole cloves
• 2/3 cup white basmati rice, rinsed and thoroughly drained
• 2/3 cup quinoa or millet, rinsed and thoroughly drained
• Juice of fresh lemon or lime
• Fresh chopped cilantro for garnish

Method:

1. Prepare the vegetables as described
2. Heat the oil_ in a saucepan over medium heat and stir-fry the scallions and peppers for five minutes
3. Add the green beans and carrots and sauté for about three minutes
4. Remove the vegetables from the pot, transfer them to a bowl, and set them aside
5. In another saucepan, bring water and salt to a boil. Turn the heat down, and keep it simmering while preparing for the next step
6. In the same oily pot used for the vegetables, stir-fry the rice and quinoa for five minutes over low heat, adding just a little oil to moisten them
7. Add all the spices and vegetables and continue to stir-fry for two more minutes
8. Pour in the simmering salted water and stir to mix._ Raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Uncover, and check the grains to see if they are done by pressing one or two between your fingers
9. Cover the pot again, remove it from the heat, and keep covered for five minutes. Sprinkle with lemon or lime juice and garnish with cilantro before serving

Serves: 4

Remarks:

If you cannot find quinoa in your area, substitute it with millet. Basmati rice and quinoa cook quickly and perfectly with the small pieces of beans and carrots.