Quinoa may be au courant but I predict this is no fleeting trend. It is here to stay, an ingredient that will remain a staple in American kitchens.

First because it is so nutritious — a complete protein, so you can cut down on or cut out meat-eating. In poor countries in South America, where this grain comes from, pregnant mothers who can’t afford meat are encouraged to eat quinoa.

Second, because it is widely available, relatively cheap and easy to cook: you boil some water or stock, add the grain, cover the pan and let it simmer for about 15 minutes and you’re done.

It’s also versatile. You can make it into salad, casseroles, stuffings and so on.

It tastes good too. A must for food!

And, as if all this wasn’t enough, you can use quinoa during Passover. Even though it is a grain.

It is not one of the prohibited grains.

That’s big for all who want to have a little something “starchy” with dinner during Passover and don’t want potatoes every day and don’t like the taste or consistency of Passover pasta products or who like variety in their diet.

Yesterday I gave a cooking demo for the UJA Federation of Greenwich Women’s Philanthropy and JCC Greenwich and prepared two Passover dishes, including Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Zucchini and Tomatoes. It was a big hit, no leftovers and everyone was amazed that the whole recipe took 17 minutes and it would have been shorter but we had to wait for the grains to cook.

This recipe is wonderfully fresh and Passover friendly. But you can enjoy it any time. Here it is:

Quinoa Salad with Asparagus, Tomatoes and Zucchini

1 cup quinoa

1 cup cut up asparagus (1-inch pieces)

1 cup bite-size pieces of zucchini

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

2 scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse for a few seconds under cold water. Drain. Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the quinoa, lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the grains have absorbed the liquid. Spoon the quinoa into a bowl. Bring some more water to a boil in the pan. Add the asparagus and cook for 15 seconds. Add the zucchini and cook for another 15 seconds. Strain the vegetables, rinse under cold water and add to the quinoa. Add the tomatoes, scallions, dill and mint and toss ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar, toss and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings

Holiday weekends at my house remind me of two things: Tel Aviv Airport, with its zillions of people trying to get through security, which takes about 3 hours, and a scene from the movie The Godfather where Connie, crying her eyes out, calls her mother, who holds a baby on her hip while she stirs a pot of sauce and people are talking and kids are screaming and no one can hear anything. 

But I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s a balagon, to be sure, but worth everything because I get to see my kids and grandkids and despite the noise (when you get older you forget that children up to a certain age cry at least once a day) and the mess and the unbelievable amount of fruit we go through, I love every fatiguing minute of it and look forward to the next one.

When that many people come to the house (we are 6 adults and 4 children ages 14 months through age 10), you have to keep the food simple. So we do. We’ve managed to work out the kinds of stuff we like to eat over the years although we have some differences among us. But we all like Spinach Pie and Grand Finale Cookies (both from my book, Hip Kosher) and salads, depending on the season. We had end-of-summer tomato salad during the Labor Day weekend (tomatoes, basil, avocado, lime juice and olive oil) and corn on the cob and grilled stuff. 

We also like salads made with whole grains. My daughter Gillian recently suggested that I experiment with oat groats, so I made this salad, which seemed to go over well and was really easy to cook. You can make the dish with any cooked whole grain. I consider oats somewhat sweeter than, say, farro or bulgur, so I liked the idea of including carrots and raisins, which are on the sweet side.

Don’t pay attention to the package instructions for cooking the groats. Most instructions for whole grains call for too much water and too much time, which make the grains mushy.  

Oat Groats Salad with Carrots and Raisins

1 cup oat groats

3 carrots, coarsely chopped

3-4 scallions, chopped

1/2 cup raisins

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional

3 tablespoons olive oil;

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the oat groats in a saucepan, cover with 2 cups water and bring to a boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 35 minutes or until the groats are tender but still a bit chewy. If there is any remaining water, strain the groats to discard the water. Spoon the groats into a bowl. Cook the carrots for 3-5 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain and add to the groats. Add the scallions, raisins and herb, if used and stir the ingredients to distribute them evenly. Pour in the olive oil and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss ingredients and let rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings

Last week I did a cooking demonstration for the Sisterhood of Temple Torat El, in Ocean Township, New Jersey. I prepared two salads from my book Hip Kosher, Quinoa with Beans, Corn and Peppers and Chopped Salad with Feta Cheese, Chickpeas and Zatar Vinaigrette.

Everyone saw how amazingly easy these salads were to make and how quickly it got done.

Some of the women had prepared the salads in advance so there would be enough for everyone to have a nibble after the demo. They also made Blueberry Crisp and Grand Finale cookies (also from the book). 

It was a feast. The salads they made looked beautiful and tasted dee-lish. 

Both salads are perfect for spring and summer. Not just easy, quick and tasty but also colorful and healthy, nice for dinner any day and also for company. Here’s the recipe for the quinoa salad:

Quinoa Salad with Beans, Corn and Peppers

1 cup quinoa

15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half

1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels

1/2 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

3-4 scallions, chopped

1 small jalapeno pepper, deseeded and chopped, optional

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Place the quinoa in a strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Let drain. Bring 1-1/2 cups water to a boil, add the quinoa, bring to a boil, stir, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed and the grains are tender. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon the quinoa into a bowl to cool. Add the beans, tomatoes, corn, bell pepper, scallions, jalapeno pepper and parsley. Toss ingredients gently. In another bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice and cumin. Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss gently. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4-6 servings