Cranberry, Pecan and Goat Cheese Quinoa

Pin It Quinoa is such a cool grain. You can add it to dishes to stretch a meal or as a yummy and healthy side dish. This dish is served warm, but I have also used it in this Watermelon Feta Quinoa Salad for a cold dish. 

Cranberry, Pecan and Goat Cheese Quinoa

Quinoa is kind of like rice in that you can add all the things you like to pump up the flavor or nutritional value. These are the goodies I chose.

Cranberry, Pecan and Goat Cheese Quinoa

      serves 8

12oz box of quinoa or 1 3/4 C uncooked

4 C reduced sodium chicken stock, or 32 oz box

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 C dried cranberries or cherries

1/2 C chopped pecans

4 oz goat cheese

2 T balsamic vinegar

Follow the instructions on the box to cook the quinoa, but replace water with chicken stock. When all the liquid is cooked out and quinoa is cooked, dump it in a large bowl with the onions, goat cheese, cranberries, pecans and balsamic vinegar. 

Mix it all together and serve warm. 

One of the things I liked most about this dish is the salty and sweet mix of the goat cheese and chicken stock with the dried fruit. This dish also re-heats well and the leftovers are great! The goat cheese binds everything together making this a creamy side dish.

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