What’s more Healthy than: Quinoa Primavera

Posted on by

So as you know I love Meatless Mondays and an All Vegetarian meal whenever I can….??!!

I especially love Quinoa, for me it’s the best substitution to heavy carbs and it marries so well with vegetables (really anything, in this case I am focusing on vegetables 😉 ), I love the fact that it really will just blend with whatever flavors it is paired up with.

It’s been winters and although I love salads it’s been pretty hard to just have a salad when outside it’s snowing or just plain cold. So, what I resort to is basically roasted, steamed or lightly sauteed vegetables. On this particular day I hadn’t gone to the store in a while it was snowing outside and I just was going to use whatever I had in the fridge. I always have a large variety of veggies so I figured that I would make vegetables accompanied by……??? I opened the cupboard and there was the Quinoa, so I decided I would make something using both. I seldom will serve my Husband just vegetables, unless requested by him. Even if I just eat all vegetarian I always try to make him, chicken, beans or pasta or something (healthy) to go along with the veggies. So in this case it was Quinoa.

I do have a post I completely dedicated to the Nutrition facts and health benefits for Quinoa, you can see here: http://mythineats.com/2011/11/11/quinoa-nutrition-facts/

However this dish is simple, light, healthy, low carb, and low fat. So I hope that you like it. You can serve as a main dish or as a side dish to chicken, salmon, meat, eggs; whatever you like or prefer. Enjoy

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as main dish 4 as side dish

1 cup Quinoa

2 cups of Water

1/2 cup frozen Peas

2 Zucchini

1 Endive

A couple leaves of Radicchio

A handful of Arugola, washed

Salt and Pepper to taste

A few drizzles of Olive oil

Preheat your oven at 180° C (350° F).

Now put the quinoa and the water in a small pot, add a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper to taste, mix, cover and place over medium heat. Bring to a boil and lower flame to minimum and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes (until all water is absorbed).

Get your slice in 1/4 in rounds and place on a baking paper over a big baking tray or cookie sheet tray, lay them out one by one. Do the same with the endive. You should be able to fit your leaves of radicchio also, drizzle some olive oil over the vegetables and add salt and pepper to taste. Put in oven and allow to bake for about 15 – 20 minutes.

Place about 1 cup of salted water to boil in a little sauce pan, once boiled throw in the peas and allow to cook for about 5-8 minutes. Drain immediately in cold water and set to the side

Fluff your Quinoa, join all ingredients in a salad bowl and mix lightly and if you like you can squeeze a little bit of lemon over it and serve.

I have included a photo with an fried egg on top, or you could also chop up some feta or any cheese you like and throw it in. There are so many endless variations. Enjoy!!!

 

 

34 thoughts on “What’s more Healthy than: Quinoa Primavera”

  3. Looks lovely, I’ve never had quinoa before…
    P.S.: I’ve scheduled tomorrow post, and there’ll be a little something for you 🙂

    Reply ↓

    • I knew that you would like this one because of how much you like Quinoa…..It’s super easy. Or I’ll make it for you one of these days.

      Reply ↓

    • You know it’s one of those things that just comes with being unprepared. I definitely have a good habit of pretty much planning out the meals for the week but there is always going to be a night you might not feel like cooking what was planned or you have a snow storm or whatever and you get stuck with what is in the house…I actually have learned that I always have healthy food in the house you just need unprepared moments to concoct something really fast, healthy and delicious, and this was one of them. Thanks for stopping by mythineats

      Reply ↓

  9. Yum. I first discovered quinoa for breakfast, with walnut for crunch, some crumbled feta melted in … and a wee bit of maple syrup drizzled over top. A bit quirky, but the flavours meld so well, and I’ve always been more of a savory girl than sweet. 🙂

    I looove the mix of tart greens in this one. I’m going to try it, for sure!

    Reply ↓

    • It does meld so well with just about any flavor you add. I hope that you like this recipe!
      Thanks for stopping by mythineats

      Reply ↓

    • Yes, that a great idea. I do sometimes make Quinoa ahead of time and (of there are any leftovers) I usually throw it in a salad of some sort. If you don’t quite like pasta, have you tried using Quinoa pasta? I find it to be delicious; and all of my pasta dishes can be made with Quinoa pasta….Delicious.

      Thanks for stopping by mythineats

      Reply ↓

      • Of course! I use the red quinoa in soups often. Check out my vegetarian chili recipe…it’s in there.

  14. Yumm, I love Quinoa! I’m like you though, when it’s snowing outside, the last thing I want is salad!
    I have never eaten as much vegetable soup as since I have moved to Canada!

    Reply ↓

    • Quinoa is the best. Me too as far as this winter I don’t think that I have ever eaten that many vegetable soups, the thing is that I never got sick of them. Thanks for stopping by mythineats.

      Reply ↓

  16. This looks wonderful…years ago I bought some quinoa…but didn’t know what to do with it and eventually threw it out. 😦
    I will visit your post on it to learn more…we do try to eat healthy…and this sounds perfect.
    Thanks for visiting and “liking” my Sunday Post recipe of cock-a-leekie soup. I’ll be back to visit your blog for sure. 🙂

    Reply ↓

Leave a reply to mythineats Cancel reply