Quinoa Lunch Bowl
Quinoa is one of those foods which is still relatively new to the UK. If you are unfamiliar with the pronunciation it is ‘keen-wah’. Quinoa is a great nutritious food, full of protein – which is especially great on a plant based diet as it contains all 9 essential amino acids. This little wholegrain (althought technically a seed!) also contains good amounts of phosphorus, manganese, copper, magnesium, iron, B vitamins, calcium and zinc. Overall, a great food to keep in the pantry!
This recipe was part of a batch lunch challenge! The idea was to create something so tasty you would want to eat it more than once… such as for three days in a row for lunch! So here it is!
The Quinoa Recipe
The star of the show here is of course quinoa! I have used tri-colour quinoa as I prefer it, but regular white quinoa will work just as well. Then you need some roastable vegetables and some spices. I have added nutritional yeast to the quinoa whilst cooking, which adds a vitamin B12 & D boost, but you could just use a stock cube instead. Here’s the recipe.
A tasty lunch option prepped in advance and served warm or cold.
- 200 g quinoa rinsed and drained
- 600 ml water
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (or sub a stock cube)
- 1 teaspoon cajun spice
- 1 teaspoon Italian herbs (or sub mixed herbs)
- splash of oil of choice (if required)
- 2 large mushrooms chopped
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large courgette chopped
- 1 medium red pepper chopped
- 1 medium yellow pepper chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- *salt to taste (if required)
Ensure the quinoa is well rinsed, then place in a large pan with the water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Skim any froth off the top, then add the nutritional yeast, Cajun spice and Italian herbs. Cook for a further 15 minutes checking to make sure all the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off.
Either in a large frying pan, or in an air fryer, cook the vegetables with a bit of oil and the black pepper. Add salt if required. Cook until everything is cooked through and turning brown, but still with a bit of crunch.
Tip the quinoa into a bowl, then add the vegetables. Toss everything together. Chill.
Serve cold, add your favourite dressing if liked. Or reheat and serve warm.
Enjoy.
What do I need?
You should be able to make this dish with standard equipment you already have in the kitchen. However, if you are new to cooking or your kitchen needs a refresh, here are a few useful things for this recipe. I receive a small commission which helps with website fees if you click and purchase through these links (this is at no additional cost to you)!
Serving
You can serve this quinoa just as it is, hot or cold. Add some extra protein if you wish – some roasted chickpeas or green lentils would work well. Drizzle with your favourite sauce – such as a minted yogurt or a homemade barbecue relish.
Storage
This was intentionally made to be eaten over several days. Store in the fridge, covered or in a sealed container for up to five days. You can make the vegetables ahead and freeze them (remember to label & date), but I would suggest to cook the quinoa fresh when needed.
Alternative Dishes
If you love quinoa, try this quinoa salad, or this quick quinoa dish. If you prefer rice dishes, have a look at quick and tasty vegetable rice, or this tropical rice salad. Remember you can use the search bar to find recipes using any ingredients, or you can use the drop down menu bar to search through the categories, for example now the weather is getting cooler, why not check out my soup recipes.
Sharing
Hopefully this has given you a new idea for lunch, as well as a thought about making something in advance which lasts more than one meal! If you make this quinoa dish, be sure to tag me in your photos @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.
Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!
I hope to speak with you soon
Laurena x
Hi Laurena, I love quinoa! Even if it smells rather soapy hehe. I wasn’t aware of the tricolour kind☺️ Thanks for reminding us what a powerhouse of nutrition quinoa is, we tend to forget this. I have a feeling I’ve already told you about the serving suggestion I came across when it first became really popular in the UK in the early 2000s.. cooking it in orange juice! I don’t think I liked it at the time but hey ho. These days we like eating quinoa with soya mince like a type of ‘keema’ pilaf with a dollop of yoghurt 🙂
Hello Eva. Sometimes I buy 3 different colours of quinoa and mix my own! Orange juice might work if you like that, I sometimes cook it in milk! I almost added kiyma to this, but decided to leave it simple (& more palatable to eat cold). You’ve given me another idea though…
[…] course, you could just cook the greens on their own and serve them as a side to something like this tasty quinoa dish or even with some […]