Quinoa with Pomegranate and Brussels Sprouts

Quinoa with Pomegranate and Brussels Sprouts ~ Sweet pomegranates and crunchy Brussels sprouts are tossed with savory quinoa in this savory side dish.

This post is sponsored by Whole Foods Market at Trolley Square in downtown Salt Lake City. I received  five free food products in exchange for a post, however all thoughts and opinions, glowing, gushing, or otherwise are 100% my own.

Recently, I was invited to attend an event at one of the five Whole Foods Market in Utah.  I chose to attend the Trolley Square store in downtown Salt Lake City.  Being downtown made me realize how much I actually miss “city” life, as now I live in the country.

The event they hosted was for Utah Bloggers and it was absolutely fun.  I got to meet a handful of other bloggers whom I have only known online. Even better, we got to sample many delicious foods prepared by the store, including a Sriracha salmon and a lovely frozen custard.

Cheeses were everywhere and if you knew my depth of love for cheese, you know I was in heaven.

Upon arrival they presented us with a swag bag.  And we got to assemble a cookie kit in a jar. But the real pleasure (and stress) of the evening was being told that we were going to be let loose in the store and we could pick any FIVE items we wanted–ANY FIVE ITEMS.  They encourage us to write a post, but it wasn’t mandatory.

Now, I am cooking/food show tv junkie.  Top Chef has been a favorite for years.

You know those scenes where the chef-testants run into Whole Foods scouring the shelves for the needed items for their dishes? That’s what it felt like, except I didn’t run in knowing what I wanted to make.

Shopping at Whole Foods

Grocery shopping is one of my favorite things to do (yes, I am odd). But usually I go with a list and then know at least a dozen other items will make it into my basket that have inspired me while wandering the aisles.

But this time, this time, I was just told to go, scour, find any five things I wanted and go for it. The sheer agony of my ADD brain thinking of recipes for every single thing I saw was joyous torture.

At one point I had buffalo in my hand.  Then a whole duck. I wandered up and down the aisles, bumping into other happy, ecstatic, and slightly overwhelmed bloggers-each trying to craft their own dishes as well.

Finally, I settled on pork belly. They had Brussels still on the stalk.  I wanted quinoa.  Cheese seemed like a natural choice. Pomegranates just felt seasonally festive.

Once my protein was chosen, the rest of the dish just came together and Quinoa with Pomegranate and Brussels Sprouts formed in my mind.

I ended up making two different dishes, an appetizer using all these same products, an entree and a side dish.  The appetizer is a Pomegranate Pork Belly Crostini which I posted last week.

Check back tomorrow to see the Pomegranate-Honey Glazed Pork Belly. Here is the side, a fabulously satisfying quinoa with my favorite Brussels and the sweet and festive pomegranates.  Quinoa with Pomegranate and Brussels Sprouts is a  perfect side dish if I ever tasted one.

Thank you Whole Foods for such a fun evening.

Things to Make with Quinoa

Grilled BBQ Chicken Quinoa Bowls

Loaded Quinoa and Edamame Salad

Chicken and Quinoa Salad

Mexican Quinoa Dinner

Quinoa with Pomegranate and Brussels Sprouts

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: pomegranate, quinoa, side dish

Author: Michelle De La Cerda

Sweet pomegranates and crunchy Brussels sprouts are tossed with savory quinoa in this savory side dish.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 onion , sliced
• 1 lb Brussels sprouts , trimmed and sliced
• 1 pomegranate , seeded
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/8 tsp salt and pepper; adjusted to taste

Instructions

1. Clean the quinoa.

2. Bring to boil 2 cups of water on medium high heat.

3. Once the water is boiling, salt the water and add the quinoa, stir.

4. Allow the pot to resume boiling then stir well. Reduce heat to low, cover and allow to cook for 12-15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, over a medium-high flame, heat a sauté pan, add the olive oil.

6. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Brussels sprouts.

7. Allow the Brussels to get some color on them, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 7 minutes.

8. Add the pomegranate seeds, mixing well.

9. Add the salt, pepper, and red wine vinegar.

10. Once cooked through, set aside.

11. When the quinoa is cooked, add it to a large bowl. Then add the sautéed Brussels mixture to the bowl and mix well.

12. Serve and enjoy.

Thank you for sharing!