Saffron Quinoa with Stir Fry Vegetables and Cilantro-Cashew Sauce

I have this bottle of saffron in the cupboard and I've been to scared to use it because it's so expensive!  Tonight was the night to break that puppy open!  I decided to make saffron rice (except I used quinoa) with some stir-fired vegetables. I also have been wanting to make this cilantro-cashew-honey sauce that I saw the other day, but have been reluctant because it's quite involved.  Tonight was the night for that too!  I ended up drizzling the cashew sauce over the entire meal and that really made everything delicious!

Saffron Quiona with Stir Fry Vegetables
Saffron Quinoa:
1/4 tsp saffron threads
2 cups water (split in half)
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 cup quinoa
1 teaspoon Himalayan Salt
Stir Fry Vegetables:
1 head of broccoli - cut into florettes
1/4 yellow onion - diced
1/4 orange bell pepper - diced
1/4 yellow bell pepper - diced
1 carrot - cut into thin strips about 1 inch long
1/8 cup cashew pieces

To make Saffron Quinoa:
Add saffron to 1 cup of hot water and allow to steep.  Add oil and salt to a large pan.  Heat on medium high heat and add quinoa.  Cook until the quinoa has absorbed the oil, but do not brown the quinoa (about 3 minutes). Add saffron water and the remaining water.  Heat to boiling and reduce to low-medium heat and cook until the quinoa is fully cooked - about 20 minutes.

To make Stir Fry Vegetables:
Heat a little oil in a frying pan on medium high.  Add cashews and onion and sautee for 2 minutes stiring constantly.  Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water cover and let cook for a few minutes until water is gone and the broccoli is nice and green.  Add the other ingredients and sautee until the peppers are cooked, but not limp.

I formed the quinoa in a small bowl and turned upside down into a plate and surrounded the quinoa in the vegetables.  I drizzled the cashew sauce to the top of everything.

I copied this sauce from a recipe I found online to mimic the avocado egg roll dipping sauce from the Cheesecake Factory.  I took out the black pepper and changed the honey to maple syrup so it would be vegan.

Quinoa cooking with saffron

The layout from the top

Cilantro-Cashew Sauce
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1-1/4 cup fresh cilantro
4 cloves of garlic
4 scallions chopped into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon Herb Stop's Southwest Mix
2 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground saffron
1/2 cup virgin olive oil

Combine cashews, cilantro, garlic, scallions, sugar and southwest mix in the vita-mix (or food processor) until well chopped very small and well blended.  This should look like a paste.  In a saucepan add white and balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, tamarind and saffron.  Heat on medium until tamarind is dissolved.  Pour into the vita-mix with the cashew mixture and blend until well combined.  Pour the mixture into a bowl and add olive oil.  Stir well by hand.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes then using a whisk blend well until the oil is incorporated.  Use as a dipping sauce or drizzle on top of the Saffron Quinoa meal.  DELICIOUS!

With the cilatro-cashew sauce over the top