cumin quinoa with cranberries and feta

first off, let me apologize for the lack of good quality pictures.  i've been lazy.  my iphone has proved much more convenient than a big chunky camera these days.  {and true to form for any hipster with an iphone -- or any iphone user in general -- instagram is my new obsession.}

cumin quinoa with cranberries and garbanzo beans

a few weekend's ago, while we lazily shopped for groceries at eastern market, we popped into marvelous market for something specific.  i can't remember what it was exactly that we were looking for, but i do know three amazing things i found:  cuban coffee,* dogfish head 60 minute IPA and some bold and crazy cumin flavored quinoa.

3 cups quinoa {follow instructions on quinoa box, but the way you cook it is basically the same as how you would cook rice on the stove}
2 handfuls dried cranberries
1/2 of a red onion {chopped}
1 can garbanzo beans
1 tsp minced garlic
feta cheese
cumin powder
butter
olive oil
salt + pepper

begin by cooking your quinoa.  the quinoa i usually buy is from trader joe's and takes 40 min to cook on the stove.  just follow the instructions for whatever kind of quinoa you buy, but remember to ADD YOUR CUMIN here, during this first step.  adding the cumin before you start cooking your quinoa is really what gives it its flavor.  it soaks into the quinoa while cooking and helps give this dish its subtle but savory taste.

while the quinoa cooks, chop up one half of a red onion and one tsp of garlic.  drain the garbanzo beans from the can.  heat up a frying pan / skillet with olive oil, and add your garbanzo beans, onion and garlic.  season with salt + pepper.  saute for about 10 minutes {or until most of the water from the beans has evaporated}.  once your quinoa is ready, stir in a tbsp of butter and a little dash of salt.  then add your garbanzo beans, onion, garlic and about 2 handfuls of dried cranberries.  throw in some fresh feta, plate and serve!

this dish requires hardly any real labor and only takes the time for the quinoa to cook to really be ready. 

it's also delicious served cold:)

*i had to add the part about the cuban coffee because kasi had never had espresso before i ordered us two of these, and that is crazy to me!  i had no idea.  if you know my family / dad at all, he was an avid espresso drinker.  sometimes he'd have three a day.  i've been around it my whole life and quite frankly sometimes, espresso is just the perfect amount of coffee {especially on a wicked hot day... like it's been all summer long in DC}.