Easy vegetarian lunch: quinoa

My lunch during the week is invariably vegetarian and usually involves leftovers. Today, after an emotional sweep through Ned's room (how did he know all these bands? how did I not know them? do you remember the holiday journal he did in Norway in 2001? should I keep the Dr Seuss books? Asterix in French?) I'm hungry and find a quinoa pilaf & a gratin of sweet potatoes. Quinoa is a new discovery. It's a perfect protein (12 - 19%) and can be cooked like rice or couscous. I sauteed some mirepoix (easy on the celery, better with just onion and carrot in a pan with some olive oil, tossed a cup of quinoa, plus two cups of chicken broth (water or vegetable broth works perfectly too) and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes. Like couscous, just fluff it with a fork and it's ready to eat. It's a delicious little grain, a little crunchy, sweet, more interesting than rice and gluten-free. The ancient Incans thought it sacred. More information here on NPR.