First, rinse the quinoa. Place the 1 cup uncooked quinoa in a fine sieve or strainer. Using cold running water, rinse it for about a couple of minutes. Drain really well.

Place the drained quinoa into the rice cooker or a sauce pan (big enough to accomodate about 3 cups of liquid).

Stir in the cranberries, raisins, the spices and salt. Mix everything. Pour in the 2 cups of water. Give it a gentle stir.

If using a rice cooker – how easy! – Cover then push the cook button and then leave it to cook. It will automatically turn to warm mode when it’s done. Turn the cooker off and let the quinoa sit for about 10-15 minutes.

If using the stovetop – first, bring to a rolling boil using medium heat. Once it begins to boil hard (watch out ’cause you don’t want liquid spilling all over) turn the heat to low. Cover then continue to simmer until the liquid has evaporated and the quinoa is tender approximately 15-18 minutes. A timer would be handy so
you don’t forget. Turn off the heat. Remove pan from heat and let it sit covered for about 10-15 minutes.

Fluff the quinoa gently with a fork to separate the seeds. You can transfer the quinoa to a bigger bowl to make mixing the rest of the ingredients easier.

Mix in the cilantro and half the pomegranate seeds.  You can serve it as is or if you wish, you can form the quinoa mix into a mound, if you like.

Sprinkle the rest of the pomegranate seeds (and perhaps some extra dried cranberries and raisins, too)  around the mound. You can sprinkle a few more chopped cilantro on top to even the colors. Serve with your main dish.