Quinoa with Kielbasa and Peppers

Quinoa? Yes. Now say it with me—”quinoa” (KEEN-WAH). It’s not scary—I promise. What is it you ask? This ingredient is the seed of a plant that is closely related to beets and spinach. It has gained lots of fame over recent history. Even the UN has jumped on the bandwagon to become quinoa’s biggest hypeman by declaring 2013 as the International Year of Quinoa. The reason I think quinoa is special and what makes it near and dear to my heart is that it was the topic of my first published article (EVER!) in Food Arts magazine. It’s a rather surreal experience the first time a writer sees their name in the byline of a print magazine. NBD. (Proceeds to brush dirt off shoulders.)

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water plus 1 cup chardonnay
• 2 cups quinoa
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 2 red bell peppers, diced
• olive oil
• 1 package of kielbasa, sliced
• cayenne pepper
• paprika
• ground cumin

Procedure: 

1. In a saucepan, bring water and wine to a boil. Stir in quinoa, reduce to simmer, and cook for 15 minutes. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Separately, sweat onions and peppers in a skillet with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add kielbasa and continue to cook.
3. Combine cooked quinoa with sausage, peppers, and onions. Season with cayenne pepper, paprika, ground cumin, and more salt and black pepper to taste.