2020 is here and that means the gyms will be packed for a few weeks for everyone’s New Year’s resolution to get back into shape and get healthy. Can’t help ya with the working out part (I need some help myself in that department) but I can point you in the direction of this delicious veggie quinoa salad. After all, doesn’t the game plan lean more towards diet? Roasting and Toasting Tip: Give your veggies room to do their thang and crisp up to a nice brown all over.
- 1 cup organic quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 4 C broccoli chopped
- 2 pints mushrooms sliced
- 2 C packed spinach
- 2 whole shallot finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 4 Tbsp butter (or olive oil for vegans)
- 2 tsp fresh chopped thyme
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- Feta cheese (optional for dairy lovers like me)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle and toss chopped broccoli with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for about 15-20 min or until tops get nice n toasty! Set aside.
Cook quinoa according to package but use vegetable stock instead of water. Add spinach to warm cooked quinoa and stir. Keep to side.
The shallot and mushrooms are a 2 pan process if you want to speed it up. Heat 1 tbsp of butter in each large pan over med heat. Arrange your thinly slices shallots in each pan… don’t overcrowd or overlap. Let sit and cook for several min until edges start to brown. Stir and flip so other sides get browned. Sprinkle with some salt. When fully browned, set aside on a paper towel.
Add 1 tbsp butter (or oil for vegans) to each pan and do the exact same thing for the mushrooms. Sprinkle with thyme and set aside.
Now stir everything together. Add garlic powder, red pepper flakes, drizzle with olive oil and add salt/pepper to taste.
For all you dairy eaters out there… I’d also add some feta to this for an added flavorful bite.