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My Favorite Grain Makes For The Perfect Lunch: Cooking with Quinoa

tidbitsfromemily
Mar 1, 2015
3 min read

It’s no secret: I’ve been crazy obsessed with quinoa these days. Lately, I’ve been making a huge batch of quinoa on the weekends so I could eat it throughout the weekdays for lunch with grilled or stir fried vegetables, baked tofu or cooked meat, and roasted sweet potatoes or yam! Today I will be sharing my favorite go-to quinoa recipe. Enjoy!

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What is Quinoa?

Know as “the mother grain,” quinoa was cultivated in the Andes for over 5,000 years. It is high in iron, fiber, and magnesium, and is a plant-based source of complete protein, meaning it provides all nine essential amino acids necessary for optimal health.

Light and fluffy in texture and mild in taste, quinoa is perfect for many different types of dishes. Plus, it is gluten free!

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My Favorite Quinoa Recipe

Makes: 4 servings

Start to Finish: Less than 30 minutes

- Directions -

Part I: Cook The Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups water

1 cup quinoa

Steps:

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and water over medium heat until it boils.
Add the quinoa, stir. Once brought to a boil, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until the quinoa absorbs the water (about 20 minutes).
Remove from heat and set side for about 10 minutes (keep lid covered).

Part II: Cook The Vegetables

Ingredients:

2/3 cup of chicken or vegetable broth (two 1/3 cup increments)

¼ cup sliced broccoli

¼ cup carrots, chopped

1 tablespoon coconut oil

½ cup green peas

½ cup corn

Garlic powder

8 oz firm tofu, sliced into cubes

Steps:

In a large pot, pour 1/3 cup of broth over medium heat. Heat until it boils.
Add in the broccoli and carrots first, cook with lid covered 1-2 minutes.
Add coconut oil. Stir.
Next, add the green peas and corn. Stir. Add a few dashes of garlic powder on top of vegetables. Stir. Cook covered for 2 minutes.
Add the remainder 1/3 cup of broth at this time so that the vegetables don’t dry out. Stir.
Add the tofu to the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, covered.

Part III: Put Veggies + Quinoa together + A Little More

Ingredients:

¼ cup sliced tomato

Few handfuls of spinach

Steps:

Combine quinoa with veggie + tofu mixture in a large pot. Stir.
Add the tomatoes and a few handfuls of spinach to the mixture. Stir.
Allow to cook on medium heat for 5 minutes or until all vegetables are tender.

Part IV: Last But Not Least, The Dressing

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon lemon zest, freshly grated

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons tarragon (or basil) OR 2 teaspoons dried tarragon (or basil)

½ teaspoon sea salt

Steps:

Whisk lemon zest, lemon juice, oil, tarragon (or basil), and sea salt in a bowl. Add to the quinoa vegetable mixture. Stir.
Add a few more dashes of garlic powder (and any other spices) at this time. Stir.
Cook for 1-2 minutes and remove from heat.

Enjoy!

Serves 4.

Tips:

-Top with your favorite nuts (toasted nuts are my favorite—walnuts, pine nuts, almonds…) for a boost in healthy fats and for extra taste!

-Add a few slices of avocado on top for extra creaminess and healthy fats!