Quinoa Pilaf
Always in search of less starchy side dish alternatives, we developed this pilaf as a variation of a Giada De Laurentis recipe.  The flavors and textures are rich, varied and complementary, and the ingredients (either the vegetables sauteed at the beginning or the fresh vegetables / herbs added at the end) can be adjusted to what you have on hand, or flavors you especially like.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 large shallots
1 small sweet red pepper
1/4 red hot pepper
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup red quinoa
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup homemade chicken broth
handful of chopped garden fresh herbs e.g. rosemary, basil, parsley and thyme

Preparation
Optional: Toast the pine nuts on low heat in a frying pan.
Heat 2 Tbsp olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the shallots, the peppers, pine nuts and garlic. Cook until onions are transparent, ca. 7 minutes. Rinse the quinoa. Add quinoa and cook stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the liquid has evaporated. Add the broth, bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer until the broth has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, ca 15 min. Add the chopped herbs, mix and let sit for a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.