I love this recipe because it’s so simple and easy to throw together, and yet the final outcome suggests flavors created from hours of dedicated cooking.  I very slightly altered Alicia Silverstone’s recipe from her cookbook, The Kind Diet, by replacing regular olive oil with white truffle butter and BAM! A food miracle was born. Use fresh basil from your garden or from the farmers’ market, if you can. 

 

This makes a very simple side dish to a dinner served with your favorite green salad and a Field Roast Celebration Roast with vegetarian gravy.  Or serve as a second course with whole grain bread preceded by a small bowl of Pea, Basil, and Mint Soup.


Quinoa with Basil & Pine Nuts

Ingredients
1              Cup quinoa (yellow, red, or half of each)
-              Pinch of fine sea salt
1/2         Cup pine nuts or cashews (or a mix of both)
1              Tbsp white truffle butter
1              Generous handful of fresh basil leaves, chopped chiffonade

Instructions

1) Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse well.  Combine the quinoa with 2 cups of water and the salt in a saucepan then bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. 

2) While the quinoa cooks, heat the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat.  Toast until the nuts are just starting to turn golden (about 6 to 7 minutes).  Shake the pan frequently to avoid burning the nuts.  Transfer for to a serving bowl to cool.

3) Add the quinoa to the serving bowl with the pine nuts and fluff with a fork.  Add the white truffle butter and basil, stir to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste then serve.