Vegged-Out Quinoa

Sometimes you just want a lot of warm vegetables, you know? I made this one day that I wanted to bulk up some quinoa and just veg out. It was perfect with some baked tofu thrown on top, and then a few days later as a side dish with roasted chicken. My favorite thing about this is how flavorful it is, and it doesn’t even start with stock. I know vegetable/chicken stock is a great thing to keep in your pantry, but I just don’t. It’s easier that way. And you won’t even notice it’s missing here because there’s already so much to love.

Vegged-Out Quinoa

Ingredients(Makes 4 to 6 servings):

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or cooking oil
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups fresh or frozen spinach
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Start by heating up your butter or oil over medium heat in a large pan.

Chop all of your vegetables and add them into the heated pan. Keep an eye on this and stir for about 10-15 minutes until the onion is translucent and just beginning to caramelize.

While that’s cooking, measure out your quinoa. Rinse and drain it first to remove the saponin.

*If you’re using a rice cooker, add your quinoa and two cups of water in and turn it on to the appropriate setting.

**If you’re using the stove, wait until the vgetables are done coking. Then add the quinoa and water into the same pot and bring it to a boil. Cover the pan and turn off the heat and wait for the quinoa to absorb the water.

Add in your salt, pepper, and parsley right before cooking.

Once the quinoa is fully cooked and the water has been absorbed, add in the honey and spinach and fold them into the mix. Serve hot.

This is sweet, it’s savory, a little bitter and kissed with salt. It has a great flavor all its own and can stand up to any protein on a dish. And it’s a real crowd-pleaser. I think adding all the vegetables just gives you an excuse to eat more because it’s so darn healthy.