Recipes Dinner Rice Dishes Pilaf Red Quinoa and Lentil Pilaf 5.0 (3,746) Add your rating & review Akasha Richmond’s cauliflower-flecked pilaf is a fantastic, healthy meal in one dish. Chopped Marcona almonds add a super crunch; coconut oil, an unexpected tropical flavor.More Recipes with Quinoa By Akasha Richmond Akasha Richmond Akasha Richmond is one of Los Angeles' most respected women chefs and is highly skilled in several international cuisines, including Indian, Italian, Moroccan, traditional Jewish cooking and more. Her passion for organic, sustainability produced, and authentic ingredients takes her around the world to source and incorporate these ingredients into the menus at her restaurant, AKASHA.Expertise: Chef, Author, Recipe Development, Farmers' Market AdvocateExperience: A self-taught chef, Akasha Richmond has always been inspired by the cuisines encountered on the road, connecting these flavors with influences acquired during her many international culinary explorations — India, Southeast Asia, Italy, Bali, Australia, Eastern and Western Europe, and Mexico. These inspirations helped her create AKASHA, her first restaurant, which she opened with husband Alan Schulman in 2008.Akasha is the author of two cookbooks: Hollywood Dish, a book filled with experiences and recipes from her time as a personal chef to the stars, was published in 2006. Her second book, The Art of Tofu, a collection of vegetarian dishes, was published in 2012. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 1, 2017 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: © Con Poulos Total Time: 1 hr Yield: 6 Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1 cup French green lentils, rinsed 1 bay leaf 1 thyme sprig 1 garlic clove 1/4 onion 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 shallot, minced 1 celery rib, minced 1 carrot, minced 1/2 cup red quinoa, rinsed 1 cup vegetable stock Salt Freshly ground pepper 1 pound cauliflower, coarsely grated 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley 1/3 cup coarsely chopped Marcona almonds Directions Put the lentils in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Add the bay leaf, thyme sprig, garlic and onion and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the lentils are tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and discard the bay leaf, thyme, garlic and onion. Wipe out the pot. Add 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil to the saucepan. Add the shallot, celery and carrot and cook over low heat until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add the stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the grains are tender and plump and the liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the cauliflower and cook over moderately high heat until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, toss the lentils with the quinoa, cauliflower, parsley and almonds. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot or at room temperature. Originally appeared: March 2012 Rate It Print