We all know how much I love quinoa, it’s just so versatile. I like to use it as a substitute instead of rice because of it’s high protein and superfood status. Quinoa is a gluten free wholegrain which is low GI giving you slow releasing energy also making it better for digestion.
I have adapted a recipe I saw in last edition of Eat Well magazine where they used brown rice, I also added a few extra yummy things.To make this a vegan dish you can use almond milk and omit the fetta cheese. Works well with a side salad or with grilled chicken or perfect on it’s own for a healthy vegetarian dish. Divide the leftovers into portions and you also have work lunches sorted too. Super healthy and delicious!
Healthy Vegetarian Dish packed with veggie goodness, as a side or on its own. Also great for weekday lunches
Ingredients
2 cups white quinoa
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 red capsicum sliced
6 button mushrooms quartered
1 zucchini sliced
300g peeled and diced pumpkin
4 cloves of garlic crushed
2 tb olive or coconut oil
1.5 cups almond or milk of choice
1 large tomato diced
2 tb basil pesto or handful chopped basil leaves
50g fetta cubed
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
extra basil to garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 200’C fan forced
- Wash quinoa under running water and place in a saucepan with water/stock. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and cook for 20-25mins until water is absorbed. Fluff out and place in a bowl, set aside.
- While quinoa is cooking, place prepared vegetables in a baking dish with oil and garlic toss to coat. Cook in oven for 20mins until vegetables are just starting to brown.
- Place milk, tomato and pesto in a jug and mix to combine
- Place cooked quinoa in a roasting tray with the roasted vegetables mix together, pour oven milk mixture. Add fetta and olives and bake in the oven for 25 mins or until hot and browned. Serve hot or warm with salad.
Green Leaf Living 