Amaranth, an ancient grain similar in texture to tiny pearls of quinoa, is an amazing source of protein and is super easy to cook. Simply cook one cup of amaranth in roughly two cups of stock or water and 20 minutes later, you are left with a lovely base for a healthy grain salad. (Amaranth is becoming more and more available in everyday grocery stores, but another great source for this ancient grain is www.igourmet.com.)
As a side dish to a tasty lemon-thyme roasted chicken, I made an amaranth salad with roasted green beans, dried cherries, sliced almonds and cubes of salty Pecorino cheese. The beauty of amaranth, or really any grain for that matter, is that you can easily make a side dish with any veggies and pantry items you have on hand. I loved the way the tiny grains coated the green beans and other salad ingredients; this was truly a unique salad would also be a lovely with some shredded chicken added right into the mix for an easy one pot meal.
(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)
Warm Amaranth Salad with Green Beans, Dried Cherries & Almonds
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of amaranth
- 2 cups stock
- Salt and pepper
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 8 oz. haricots verts, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¼ cup dried cherries
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- Pecorino cheese, cut into small cubes
Directions:
- In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add in the amaranth, give it a stir and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed. Add the cooked amaranth into a large mixing bowl.
- In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the cut green beans in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
- Add the cooked green beans, dried cherries, almonds and cubes of cheese into the bowl of amaranth. Toss to combine. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve warm.
Tagged: almonds, amaranth, ancient grain, dried cherries, grain, grain salad, green beans, haricots verts, pecorino cheese, quinoa, side dish, vegetarian
Leave a Reply