Vegetarian Quinoa Recipes - Cookie and Kate

Southwestern Kale Power Salad

Kathryne Taylor — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 21:00:53 +0000

This hearty salad features a few of my all-time favorite ingredients. Here we have massaged kale, quinoa, spiced sweet potatoes, and black beans served with a dollop of creamy avocado sauce. I added crumbled feta and toasted pepitas for good measure.

I’d cook with only these ingredients if it weren’t for diversity’s sake. This texture-rich vegetarian salad packs great for lunch. If you like to meal prep for the week, this is an excellent candidate. Given the number of components, this is not the quickest recipe around, but it’s absolutely work the effort.

This recipe has been a reader favorite since it was originally published in 2015 (really, nine years ago?). I developed it during a month-long stay in Austin, Texas with my friend Ali. You could probably say that the Southwestern vibes influenced the recipe.

Today, this salad is getting fresh photos and some slight revisions. Enjoy!

How to Make This Power Salad

You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief rundown with notes and video.

Cook the quinoa. The recipe uses my foolproof method of cooking quinoa, which will differ from the instructions on your bag. You can make the quinoa a day in advance, if you’d like.
Cook the sweet potatoes in a skillet. I love roasted sweet potatoes, but these sweet potatoes are cut quite small, so the skillet method is ideal. We’ll add a little bit of water, cover and let them steam until tender, then uncover and cook them until they’re caramelized on the edges.
Massage and dress the kale. Massaging the kale (literally just scrunching it in your hands until it’s darker and softer) removes all the poky edges and improves the flavor. Then we’ll whisk together a simple olive oil and lime dressing, and toss to coat.
Make the avocado sauce. Combine the ingredients in a food processor and blend. Add more lime juice, if you’d like. The sauce should be nicely tart, but not overwhelmingly so.
Toast the pepitas in a skillet. Freshly-toasted pepitas taste amazing and are totally worth the extra few minutes. Keep an eye on the skillet, as it’s easy to turn on the heat and forget until they’re too toasty.
Assemble! Divide the components between bowls as shown, and enjoy.

Watch How to Make Southwestern Kale Power Salad

More Sweet Potato and Kale Recipes

Please let me know how this recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Southwestern Kale Power Salad with Sweet Potato, Quinoa & Avocado Sauce

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 4 large salads
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 144 reviews

Healthy kale and quinoa power salad with spicy sweet potato, black beans and creamy avocado sauce. If your lime are particularly big, scale back. This gluten-free, vegetarian (easily vegan) salad packs well for lunch, too! Recipe yields 4 generous salads or 6 medium.

Ingredients

Quinoa and kale

1 cup quinoa
1 bunch kale, ribs removed and chopped into very small, bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium lime, juiced
½ teaspoon fine salt

Sweet potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 ½ pounds), sliced into small, ¼-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon fine salt

Avocado sauce

2 ripe avocados, sliced into long strips
¼ cup lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 medium jalapeño, deseeded, membranes removed and roughly chopped
1 handful cilantro leaves
½ teaspoon ground coriander, optional
¼ teaspoon fine salt, to taste

Everything else

1 can (14 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked black beans
⅓ cup crumbled feta
¼ cup pepitas (green pumpkin seeds)

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Instructions

To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water for a minute or two. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess water and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
To cook the sweet potatoes: In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped sweet potatoes and toss to coat, then add the cumin, smoked paprika and salt. Stir to combine. Once the pan is sizzling, add a scant ¼ cup water, then cover the pan and reduce heat to low to avoid burning the contents. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is easily pierced through with a fork, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Uncover the pan, raise the heat back to medium and cook until the excess moisture has evaporated and the sweet potatoes are caramelizing on the edges, about 3 to 7 minutes (add another little splash of olive oil if the potatoes start sticking to the pan). Set aside to cool.
To prepare the kale: Transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the chopped kale with salt and use your hands to “massage” it, which improves the flavor. Just grab handfuls of kale in your hands and scrunch it up in your palms. Repeat until the kale is darker green in color and more fragrant. Whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the juice of 1 lime and ½ teaspoon salt. Drizzle over the kale and toss to coat.
To make the avocado sauce: Combine the ingredients as listed in a food processor or blender. Blend well, add more lime juice if desired, and season with salt, to taste.
To toast the pepitas: In a small skillet over medium-low heat, toast the pepitas, stirring frequently, until they are turning lightly golden on the edges and starting to make little popping noises, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Once the quinoa has cooled down a bit, pour it into the bowl of kale and toss to combine. Divide the kale and quinoa mixture into four large salad bowls. Top with sweet potatoes, black beans, a big dollop of avocado sauce, and a sprinkle of feta and pepitas.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the feta.

Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for a few days. To keep the avocado sauce fresh, store it separately in a small bowl, with plastic wrap pressed against the top surface to prevent oxidation.

Change it up: Butternut squash or carrots would be good substitutions for the sweet potatoes.

Edits January 11, 2024: Adjusted avocado sauce by omitting 2 tablespoons olive oil (unnecessary), decreasing the salt for the sweet potatoes from 1 ½ teaspoons to ½ teaspoon, and specifying the amounts of lime juice and salt.

Nutrition

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

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Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 18:07:22 +0000

We’ve been living in a winter wonderland lately. We’ve gotten so much snow that my dog, Cookie, can barely keep her head above it when we go outside (she’s smaller than you think). I’m thankful to have electricity and gearing up for more winter weather this weekend.

This hearty soup is exactly what I need. It’s brimming with fresh veggies and warms me right up. Soup to the rescue!

This homemade vegetable soup with quinoa is light but filling and packs great for lunch. Like most soups, it tastes even better the next day. Bonus? It freezes well, too. I love keeping my freezer stocked with hearty soups and defrosting one whenever I need a quick but nutritious meal.

This soup is vegan unless you want to top it with Parmesan cheese, which isn’t a bad idea if you ask me. The ingredients list, while a little on the long side, includes mostly pantry items. Every single one of them is nutritious!

Quinoa Vegetable Soup Recipe Development

Confession: the idea for this soup recipe came from Trader Joe’s. (You know what they say about grocery shopping while hungry.) A few years ago, their “vegetable soup with quinoa and kale” caught my eye in the refrigerated section right as my stomach grumbled.

I was initially skeptical about quinoa in soup (will it get mushy? does the flavor play nicely with the other ingredients?), but now I’m only wondering what took me so long to try it.

Quinoa was meant for soup. It lends some extra protein and hearty texture. Unlike most other vegetable soups, which are too light to count as a full meal, this is a true meal-in-a-bowl if you eat enough of it.

I adapted this recipe from my lentil soup, which has gotten quite a few raving reviews. I hope you enjoy this one just as much.

Recipe Notes & Tips

I wrote the recipe so it’s easily adapted to seasons. Winter squash would be lovely in place of the zucchini that I used.

This soup straddles the line between soup and stew, but whatever you call it, it’s delicious.

If you want more of a soup, use 3/4 cup quinoa and 1 cup seasonal veggies. If you want more of a stew, use a full cup of quinoa, two cups of seasonal vegetables and throw in some extra greens.

Watch How to Make Quinoa Soup

Please let me know how you like this soup in the comments! I love hearing from you.

If you enjoy this soup, be sure to check out my minestrone, lentil soup, Megan’s quinoa stew, and the hearty soup recipes in my cookbook.

Quinoa Vegetable Soup

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 423 reviews

This healthy homemade vegetable soup recipe is full of veggies, kale and quinoa. It’s easy to make and good for you, too! This soup makes great leftovers. It’s gluten free and vegan, as long as you don’t top it with optional Parmesan cheese. Recipe yields 4 to 6 servings of soup.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 to 2 cups chopped seasonal vegetables, like zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, sweet potatoes or butternut squash
6 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
Scant 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander (use less for a lighter, more broth-y soup)
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
2 bay leaves
Pinch red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 can (15 ounces) great northern beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup or more chopped fresh kale or collard greens, tough ribs removed
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
Optional garnish: freshly grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions

Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion, carrot, celery, seasonal vegetables and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add the garlic and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often.
Pour in the quinoa, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 2 bay leaves and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Cook for 25 minutes, then remove the lid and add the beans and the chopped greens. Continue simmering for 5 minutes or more, until the greens have softened to your liking.
Remove the pot from heat, then remove the bay leaves. Stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. (You might need up to ½ teaspoon more salt, depending on your vegetable broth and your personal preferences.) Divide into bowls and top with grated Parmesan if you’d like.

Notes

Recipe inspired by Trader Joe’s organic vegetable soup with quinoa and kale. Recipe adapted from my lentil soup recipe.
Seasonal vegetable preparation tips: If you’re using dense vegetables like butternut or sweet potato for your seasonal vegetables, be sure to chop them as small as you’re chopping your carrots so they cook in the same amount of time.
Slow cooker option: I haven’t tried, but Sarah reports that her soup turned out well after 8 hours on low heat.
Storage suggestions: This soup keeps well in the refrigerator for about 4 days. It freezes and defrosts well if you want to freeze extra portions for later!

Recommended equipment: I’m convinced that everything I cook in my Dutch oven (affiliate link) comes out extra delicious.

Nutrition

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Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 18 Dec 2018 15:57:21 +0000

Is this stuffed acorn squash pretty or what? I’m really excited to share this recipe with you. Roasted acorn squash halves topped with herbed quinoa make a delicious holiday-worthy main dish. It’s the perfect option if you’re serving vegetarian and gluten-free eaters.

This recipe is simple enough to put together on a relaxed weeknight, too. Pour yourself a glass of wine and let’s make some stuffed squash!

This recipe requires a few steps, but none of them are difficult. You can make the quinoa mixture while the squash is in the oven. Then, stuff the squash and bake until the quinoa turns golden and develops delicious little crispy bits on top.

The filling steals the show in this recipe. It features cranberry-studded quinoa and two kinds of cheese, one creamy and one melty. Chopped parsley and green onion offer lots of irresistible fresh flavor, and toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) contribute some savory crunch.

How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash

I treat my acorn squash the same as I do spaghetti squash—rubbed lightly with olive oil and baked cut-side down so the edges develop some delicious caramelization. Acorn squash bakes up even faster, in as little as 35 minutes.

Then, I stuffed the squash with a modified version of my stuffed sweet potatoes in Love Real Food (page 144). This time, I stirred dried cranberries into the hot quinoa to give them a chance to plump up. I also added some Parmesan for structure and extra flavor, and baked the squash again after stuffing it.

I love how the herbed quinoa mixture turns golden in the oven and develops an almost panko-like, crisp texture on top. It’s so good and contrasts beautifully with the tender squash beneath.

Watch How to Make Stuffed Acorn Squash

Chickpeas are Optional

I purposefully omitted the chickpeas from the original stuffing recipe. As written, you should have exactly enough filling to stuff four medium squash halves.

If you’re using particularly large acorn squash or wanting to up the protein content of this meal, you can stir one can of chickpeas (rinsed and drained) into the quinoa mixture as described in the recipe notes.

You can easily make this recipe dairy free or vegan—check the recipe notes for suggestions!

Serving Suggestions

My favorite green salad would be the perfect complement to this stuffed squash. It features fresh apple, which pairs beautifully with acorn squash, and a few of the same ingredients—toasted pepitas, dried cranberries and goat cheese. If you make both recipes at once, you’ll use up one standard four-ounce package of goat cheese.

Another beautiful salad option would be my pomegranate and pear green salad with ginger dressing.

Looking for more holiday-worthy vegetarian main dishes and sides? Check out my Thanksgiving recipe roundup for more ideas.

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I hope it’s a big hit at your dinner table.

Vegetarian Stuffed Acorn Squash

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 197 reviews

This vegetarian stuffed acorn squash recipe is beautiful and delicious! The cheesy quinoa filling develops an irresistible crispy top in the oven. Make it for your holiday dinner or serve it on a relaxed weeknight at home. Recipe yields 4 stuffed squash halves.

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
½ cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup water
¼ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup crumbled goat cheese or feta

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.
To prepare the squash, use a sharp chef’s knife to slice through it from the tip to the stem. I find it easiest to pierce the squash in the center along a depression line, then cut through the tip, and finish by slicing through the top portion just next to the stem. Use a large spoon to scoop out the seeds and stringy bits inside, and discard those pieces.
Place the squash halves cut side up on the parchment-lined pan. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over the squash, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon of the salt. Rub the oil into the cut sides of the squash, then turn them over so the cut sides are against the pan. Bake until the squash flesh is easily pierced through by a fork, about 30 to 45 minutes. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, cook the quinoa: In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer, uncovered, until all of the water is absorbed, 12 to 18 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cranberries. Cover, and let the mixture steam for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the quinoa with a fork.
In a medium skillet, toast the pepitas over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the pepitas are turning golden on the edges and making little popping noises, about 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
Pour the fluffed quinoa mixture into a medium mixing bowl. Add the toasted pepitas, chopped green onion, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Taste and add additional salt, if necessary.
If the mixture is very hot, let it cool for a few minutes before adding the Parmesan cheese and goat cheese. Gently stir the mixture to combine.
Turn the cooked squash halves over so the cut sides are facing up. Divide the mixture evenly between the squash halves with a large spoon. Return the squash to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the cheesy quinoa is turning golden on top.
Sprinkle the stuffed squash with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve warm.

Notes

Squash filling adapted from the stuffed sweet potatoes in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 144).

Change it up: You can add more protein to this dish by stirring 1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas), into the quinoa mixture. You may have some of the mixture leftover—it’s a great quinoa salad on its own.

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit both varieties of cheese. You might want to add chickpeas (see above) to fill out the stuffing mixture. Top the baked squash with dollops of vegan sour cream, and you could even finish it off with a sprinkle of vegan Parmesan.

Nutrition

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Sunshine Slaw with Quinoa

Kathryne Taylor — Fri, 26 Jan 2018 13:42:23 +0000

Here’s the first salad made with my latest salad dressing obsession—Sunshine Salad Dressing, which is a creamy, yogurt-based honey mustard dressing. The homemade dressing straddles the line between creamy and vinegar-based slaws, and quinoa mediates the crunch.

This “sunshine” coleslaw is colorful, nutrient-rich and full of fresh flavor. It’s refreshing and unique, and I can’t stop going back for more.

This is the perfect recipe for using leftover vegetables since you can use any combination you’d like. Try green or red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and/or carrots. This recipe is helping me meet my resolution to eat more cruciferous veggies this year since they’re exceptionally nutritious.

Sunshine Slaw Notes & Tips

You’ll find the full recipe below. Here are some helpful details before you get started:

To save some prep time, you can use store-bought slaw mix instead of shredding your own vegetables.
You can also leave out the quinoa for simplicity’s sake or a more traditional slaw texture. You might need a little less dressing than suggested, but that’s easy enough.
Cilantro vs. parsley: I slightly prefer cilantro in this recipe, but parsley works as well.
This slaw offers the best flavor on the first day, but leftovers pack great for lunch.

Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa

More Slaws to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to try these slaws on Cookie and Kate:

Please let me know how your recipe turns out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

Sunshine Slaw with Quinoa

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes (plus 20 minute rest)
Yield: 6 side servings
Diet: Vegetarian

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 26 reviews

This healthy quinoa slaw recipe is bursting with nutrients and fresh flavor! Yogurt-based honey-mustard dressing brings it all together. Recipe yields 6 generous side servings.

Ingredients

½ cup quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander (or 1 ½ cups leftover cooked quinoa)
1 cup water
½ cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds
8 cups mixed shredded vegetables (green or red cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts and/or carrots, or use about 20 ounces store-bought slaw mix)
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 cup Sunshine Salad Dressing, or more to taste
Salt, to taste

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Instructions

To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 12 to 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
Meanwhile, toast the pepitas in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and making little popping noises, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
To make sure the onion flavor doesn’t overwhelm the salad, rinse the sliced onion under cool running water, then let it drain well.
In a large serving bowl (seriously, use your biggest bowl!), combine the shredded vegetables, drained onion and cilantro. Add the cooled quinoa and pepitas. Drizzle the dressing on top and toss to mix.
Let the slaw rest for 20 minutes before serving (this is key to great flavor), then season to taste with salt, and stir in more dressing if desired. This slaw is best the day it’s made, but it keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.

Notes

Make it dairy free: Use dairy-free yogurt when making the dressing.

Nutrition

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Favorite Quinoa Salad

Kathryne Taylor — Fri, 18 Aug 2017 16:54:58 +0000

Introducing my favorite quinoa salad! I’ve published more than a few quinoa salads over the years and I genuinely love all of them, but this recipe is officially my favorite.

This quinoa salad is refreshing, crisp and delicious. It’s made simply with fresh cucumber, red bell pepper, red onion, chickpeas, fresh parsley and a garlicky olive oil and lemon dressing. The salad sort of reminds me of tabouleh, an herbed Lebanese salad with tomatoes and bulgur.

The Best Quinoa Salad

Three reasons to love this recipe:

This quinoa salad recipe is also very easy to toss together, especially if you use leftover quinoa (see recipe note). The recipe uses my preferred quinoa cooking method, which yields fluffy quinoa every time.
This salad packs great for lunch, picnics, road trips and plane rides.
Bring this allergy-friendly salad along to your next potluck—it’s vegan/dairy free, gluten free, and nut free, for all to enjoy.

This recipe doesn’t taste “basic,” but it has a lot of merits that make it a staple recipe in my kitchen. I hope it becomes your go-to quinoa salad recipe, too! Please let me know how it turns out for you in the comments.

Watch How to Make Quinoa Salad

This post is sponsored by Bota Box Wine.

My summer has been punctuated by fun, casual get-togethers with friends. Spontaneous afternoons at the pool, walks around the park, and potlucks—yes to all of the above. It’s nice to have supplies at the ready. My pool bag is packed with magazines and sunscreen, and my fridge is stocked with quinoa salad and Bota Box Wine (thank you, Bota Box!).

The “Bota Mini” size is super portable and easy to grab for an evening picnic at the park. The small boxes are convenient because you don’t have to remember to bring a bottle opener, and the empty boxes are lightweight and recyclable. Each 500 mL mini contains three glasses of wine, or just over half of a standard wine bottle. I recommend pairing their light, crisp Sauvignon blanc with this refreshing summer salad.

Please let me know how this recipe turns out for you in the comments! I love hearing from you and hope this quinoa salad becomes your favorite, too.

Craving more fresh and delicious salads? Here are a few more:

Favorite Quinoa Salad

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 8 side salads

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 713 reviews

This quinoa salad recipe is the best! Everyone loves this healthy quinoa salad made with quinoa, chickpeas, red bell pepper, cucumber, parsley and lemon. It’s vegan and gluten free, too! Recipe yields 4 medium salads or 8 side salads.

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
2 cups water
1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or 1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas
1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
¾ cup chopped red onion (from 1 small red onion)
1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (from 1 large bunch)
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

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Instructions

To cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and the water in a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 minutes, reducing heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer. Remove from heat, cover, and let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes, to give it time to fluff up.
In a large serving bowl, combine the chickpeas, cucumber, bell pepper, onion and parsley. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and salt. Whisk until blended, then set aside.
Once the quinoa is mostly cool, add it to the serving bowl, and drizzle the dressing on top. Toss until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Season with black pepper, to taste, and add an extra pinch of salt if necessary. For best flavor, let the salad rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
This salad keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 4 days. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Recipe inspired by the outrageous herbaceous chickpea salad in my cookbook (page 71) and my quinoa tabbouli.

*Quinoa note: If you happen to have 3 cups of leftover cooked quinoa, you can use it instead of cooking more.

Change it up: This salad is awesome as written. You can serve it on fresh greens with an extra drizzle of olive oil and squeeze of lemon juice for dressing. Feel free to top it with crumbled feta cheese or a dollop of cashew sour cream (recipe in my cookbook, page 217).

Nutrition

This post was sponsored by Bota Box and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!

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Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 08 Aug 2017 19:26:08 +0000

I tend to keep to myself, especially in yoga class. It’s not a very social form of exercise, you know? Last year, when I walked into my usual Tuesday evening yoga class and my instructor shouted, “COOKIE AND KATE,” I froze. Kim, a regular in the class, had learned about my blog through her co-worker, and she said, “I know her! I go to yoga with her!”

Then Kim told Kristina, the teacher, and then everyone found out. Including Amie, one of my favorite instructors, who is great friends with Kate Kasbee of Well Vegan. Kate lives in Chicago and was working on a cookbook called Frugal Vegan at the time.

Through the Amie-Kate connection, I got a sneak peek at Frugal Vegan and wrote a blurb for the back cover. “Frugal Vegan offers an incredible array of fresh and simple vegan recipes. Every single one of them manages to be easy to make, affordable and accessible, too.”

Kate came to town for Amie’s birthday party, so I met her for drinks, and a giant green bug landed in her herbed green cocktail. Are you still following? I can’t make this stuff up.

Kate and I bonded over the trials and tribulations of cookbook-making, our love for our funny-looking pups (meet Rex), and the green bug experience. We practiced our half-moon poses at Amie’s backyard birthday party the next day. Maybe I shouldn’t be so shy about my work, since it opens so many fun doors.

Today, I’m sharing a delicious recipe from Frugal Vegan, featuring cabbage, carrots, green onion, snow or snap peas, and cilantro—all fresh, affordable, and loaded with nutrients and fiber. Toss all of that in an addictive homemade peanut sauce for a crisp, colorful, Thai-inspired salad. Enjoy it as a light summer dinner, and pack up the leftovers for tomorrow lunch.

The book’s recipe calls for millet instead of quinoa. I picked up all of the other ingredients at the store, while assuming that I had millet in my pantry at home. I did not, so I used quinoa instead. Millet is less expensive but quinoa has more protein, so take your pick accordingly. It’ll turn out great either way. Enjoy, and be sure to check out Kate and Katie’s book, Frugal Vegan!

Watch How to Make Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad

Please let us know how the recipe turns out for you in the comments!

Craving more peanut goodness? You’ll love these recipes:

Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 330 reviews

This Thai-flavored salad recipe is made with carrots, cabbage, snow peas, and quinoa, tossed in delicious peanut sauce. This healthy salad is vegan, gluten free, and packs well for lunch. Recipe yields 4 salads.

Ingredients

Salad

¾ cup uncooked quinoa or millet
1 ½ cups water
2 cups shredded purple cabbage
1 cup grated carrot
1 cup thinly sliced snow peas or sugar snap peas
½ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion
¼ cup chopped roasted and salted peanuts, for garnish

Peanut sauce

¼ cup smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I love ginger so I used 2 teaspoons)
½ lime, juiced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
Pinch of red pepper flakes

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Instructions

Cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 1 ½ cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water. Remove the quinoa from heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool. (Here’s how to cook millet.)
Meanwhile, make the peanut sauce: Whisk together the peanut butter and tamari until smooth (if this is difficult, microwave the mixture for up to 30 seconds to loosen it up). Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until smooth. If the mixture seems too thick to toss into the salad, whisk in a bit of water to loosen it up (I didn’t need to do this).
In a large serving bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, shredded cabbage, carrot, snow peas, cilantro and green onion. Toss to combine, then pour in the peanut sauce. Toss again until everything it lightly coated in sauce. Taste, and if it doesn’t taste quite amazing yet, add a pinch of salt and toss again. Divide into individual bowls and garnish with peanuts.
This salad keeps well, covered and refrigerated, for about 4 days. If you don’t want your chopped peanuts to get soggy, store them separately from the rest and garnish just before serving.

Notes

Recipe minimally adapted from Frugal Vegan by Katie Koteen and Kate Kasbee.

Make it vegan: Use maple syrup (or agave nectar) instead of honey.

Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten-free tamari, not soy sauce.

Recommended equipment: I used this mandoline to shred the cabbage (it’s dangerous; watch your fingers at all times!) and this julienne peeler to shred the carrots. (Those are affiliate links.)

Nutrition

The post Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Quinoa Broccoli Slaw with Honey-Mustard Dressing

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 24 May 2017 15:56:27 +0000

Confession: I wanted to include this tangy broccoli slaw recipe in my epic salads roundup (it deserves to be in it), but the photos were so green and unappetizing that I couldn’t do it. All I could think when I looked at the post was, “Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit!”

Today, I’m re-sharing it with better photos and pushing it to the top of the blog in case you have overlooked it the past couple of years. Ribbit!

Even with a pop of complementary color (the coral napkin), the slaw is undeniably very green as written. I’ve heard from some commenters who have added some color with dried cranberries or chopped apple, which sound like delicious additions to me.

This broccoli slaw was roughly inspired by an awesome mayo-free broccoli and potato salad that my friend Sarah brought to a spring potluck two years ago. It’s not too far off from my Greek broccoli salad and colorful beet and quinoa salad, but it was just too good to keep to myself.

Shredded broccoli florets form the foundation for this slaw, which you can easily make yourself in a food processor (or you can skip a step and buy pre-shredded broccoli slaw).

Cooked quinoa blends right in, thanks to its similar texture and complementary flavor. Add toasty almonds, a tangy honey-mustard dressing and chopped basil for little bursts of freshness flavor, and you have one fantastic mayo-free broccoli slaw.

Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa

Quinoa Broccoli Slaw with Honey-Mustard Dressing

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 88 reviews

Mayo-free, healthy broccoli slaw recipe with quinoa, toasted almonds and basil tossed in a tangy honey-mustard dressing! This gluten-free slaw will be a hit at potlucks and packs well for lunch, too. For best flavor, plan on letting the slaw rest for 20 minutes or more before serving. Recipe yields about 4 servings.

Ingredients

Slaw

¾ cup uncooked quinoa
1 ½ cups water
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
1 ½ pounds broccoli (about 2 large or 3 medium heads) or 16 ounces shredded broccoli slaw
⅓ cup chopped fresh basil

Honey-mustard dressing

½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or more lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Red pepper flakes, optional (for heat)

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Instructions

To cook the quinoa: First, rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh colander under running water. In a medium-sized pot, combine the rinsed quinoa and 1 ½ cups water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer the quinoa until it has absorbed all of the water. Remove the quinoa from heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Set it aside to cool.
Meanwhile, toast the almonds: In a small skillet over medium heat, toast the almonds, stirring frequently, until they are fragrant and starting to turn golden on the edges, about 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a large serving bowl to cool.
To prepare the broccoli (if you’re not using prepared broccoli slaw), trim off any brown bits from the florets and stems, then slice the florets off the stems into manageable pieces. Use a paring knife to peel off the tough, woody perimeter of the broccoli stems and then discard those pieces. Now you can feed the broccoli florets through your food processor using the slicing blade, then switch to the grating blade to shred the stems. Alternatively, you can shred the broccoli with a mandoline or by hand with a sharp knife.
Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and whisk until emulsified. The dressing should be pleasantly tangy and pack a punch. If it’s overwhelmingly acidic, add a little more honey to balance out the flavors. If it needs more kick, add a bit more mustard or lemon juice.
Add the shredded broccoli slaw, cooked quinoa and chopped basil to your large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss until well mixed. Let the slaw rest for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Notes

Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup for the honey.
Make it nut free: I bet sunflower seeds would be a great alternative to the almonds.
Storage suggestions: This salad keeps well overnight. Brighten up leftovers with a squeeze of lemon juice and maybe an extra drizzle of olive oil and dash of salt, too.

Nutrition

The post Quinoa Broccoli Slaw with Honey-Mustard Dressing appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Roasted Mushrooms with Herbed Quinoa

Kathryne Taylor — Wed, 08 Mar 2017 17:24:40 +0000

This post is brought to you by ALDI.

Have you ever tried roasting your mushrooms? I discovered during the making of my cookbook that roasting not-so-fancy mushrooms condenses their flavors into gourmet territory. They transform from spongy raw fungi into tender, richly flavored umami bombs along the way.

I understand that mushrooms aren’t for everyone (sometimes, they’re not even for me), but I’m into these roasted mushrooms. For those of you who are on the fence when it comes to mushrooms, I hope this recipe brings you over to my side.

This recipe is a great side dish or light meal. First, I roasted up some cremini mushrooms, also known as baby bella mushrooms (they’re young portobellos—get it?). Then I served the roasted mushrooms, with all of their delicious mushroom juices, on a bed of herbed quinoa. A squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle of pepitas rounds out the flavors and textures.

For a more complete meal, I think you could stir some chickpeas or white beans into the quinoa. You can also change it up by roasting the mushrooms with a splash of balsamic vinegar (so good).

Once again, I bought all of my ingredients at ALDI. They have organic quinoa and olive oil, plus a wide variety of fresh produce and rBST-free cheeses, all at impressively low prices. Their new blog called Hello, Healthy, offers recipes, cooking videos and resources on how to live a healthy life. You can check out my recipe on their blog here. Have you been to an ALDI yet?!

Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa

Roasted Mushrooms with Herbed Quinoa

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Diet: Gluten Free

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 41 reviews

Delicious side dish or light meal of roasted mushrooms on herbed quinoa, topped with toasted pepitas and olive oil! Recipe yields 4 generous side servings.

Ingredients

Roasted Mushrooms:

16 ounces Baby Bella mushrooms
1 tablespoon SimplyNature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ teaspoon salt

Herbed Quinoa;

1 cup SimplyNature Organic Quinoa, rinsed in a fine-mesh colander
2 cups water
½ cup Priano Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
¼ cup thinly sliced green onions, green parts only
1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon SimplyNature Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for drizzling on top
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons toasted pepitas

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Instructions

To prepare the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup (the rim is important, as the mushrooms release a lot of juices while roasting—use a large baking dish if you don’t have a rimmed baking sheet).
Quarter the large mushrooms, halve the medium mushrooms, leave small mushrooms whole, and place them all onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over them and sprinkle the salt on top. Toss until the mushrooms are evenly coated in oil. Roast until the mushrooms are tender and somewhat condensed in size, about 15 to 18 minutes, tossing halfway.
Meanwhile, to cook the quinoa: Combine the rinsed quinoa and water in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat a bit to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, about 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat as time goes on to maintain a gentle simmer.
Remove the pot from heat, cover, and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes. Then, remove the lid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the Parmesan, most of the parsley (reserve about 1 tablespoon for garnish), green onions, garlic, salt and olive oil. Stir to combine, then add 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice to the mixture and black pepper, both to taste.
To assemble, pour the quinoa into a small serving platter or medium serving bowl. Top with the roasted mushrooms and their extra juices, then sprinkle pepitas and the remaining parsley on top. Finally, finish the dish with a light drizzle of olive oil over the mushrooms. This dish is best when fresh, but leftovers keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.

Notes

Make it dairy free/vegan: Omit the Parmesan cheese. You might appreciate a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar or even soy sauce for extra flavor in its place.

Change it up: For even more depth, roast the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar tossed in. Finish the dish with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar instead of lemon juice.

Nutrition

This post was created in partnership with ALDI and I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!

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Mexican Quinoa Stew

Kathryne Taylor — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 18:14:33 +0000

Sometimes I get really excited about a recipe because it sounds delicious, but it almost seems too easy—do you know what I mean? Like, am I about to get duped here? Am I going to end up with a so-so meal? Maybe I’m too skeptical, but I’ve been let down before.

This soup sounded both delicious and easy, and it proved to be even better than that—it’s amazing! And so easy! The recipe comes from my friend Megan’s brand-new cookbook called No Excuses Detox: 100 Recipes to Help You Eat Healthy Every Day. All of the recipes are vegetarian (mostly vegan) and gluten free, with short ingredients lists and prep times.

I love Megan’s approach to detoxing—the term often makes me think of scary juice fasts and extreme measures, but there’s nothing extreme about this book other than the ease of the recipes. She shares simple recipes made from whole foods that support your body’s natural detox mechanisms.

Plus, she shares tons of real-world tips on how to eat well when you’re short on time, money and energy. Megan manages to run a blog, write cookbooks, work as a greeting card designer, and raise two adorable kids all at the same time. She definitely has a few tricks up her sleeves and doesn’t let excuses get in the way. I’m the queen of making excuses and overthinking, so I’m taking notes.

I am especially pumped about her tips for pressure cooking, since I just caved and bought an Instant Pot. (Have you guys tried pressure cooking yet? I’m scared. So many buttons. The unopened box is resting nice and cozy next to my hamper.)

Anyway, her book’s full of recipes that look and sound delicious, and seem easy enough for busy weeknights. This hearty Mexican quinoa soup hit all of those marks. I could eat this soup every day until spring and I just might, since it freezes well.

Megan modeled this recipe after chicken tortilla soup, but made it a hearty vegetarian soup with quinoa and black beans. It tastes remarkably fresh and flavorful, thanks some basic aromatics, herbs and spices. I love that she used water instead of vegetable broth, too—something to consider in future soup recipes. Please let us know how you like it!

Watch How to Make Mexican Quinoa Stew

Mexican Quinoa Stew

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 145 reviews

You’re going to love this Mexican quinoa stew! It’s hearty, easy to make and tastes amazing. This soup recipe is vegan and gluten free. Recipe yields 4 large or 6 more modest bowls.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon coconut oil (I opted to use 1 tablespoon olive oil instead)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped
3 ½ cups water
1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 ½ cups cooked black beans or 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
½ cup quinoa (dry/uncooked)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (for extra heat, optional)
Freshly ground black pepper
Optional garnishes (my ideas): extra chopped cilantro, small wedges of lime, diced avocado, crumbled tortilla chips, grated cheese, sour cream…

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Instructions

In a medium Dutch oven or soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and jalapeños. Sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
Add the water, tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt, quinoa, cilantro and cayenne pepper (if using). Season with pepper and bring the soup to a boil.
Once boiling, lower the heat, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Once the quinoa is tender, add more salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. You can serve this soup right away or use an immersion blender to purée a couple cups of this soup—this helps to thicken the soup while still leaving some texture (I may have overdone it a bit).
Divide into bowls and serve with any garnishes that you’d like. Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

Megan’s Instant Pot guidance: Sauté the aromatics (everything listed in step 1) in your Instant Pot with the olive oil. Add the ingredients listed in step 2. Securely seal the lid according to the manufacturer’s instructions and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally, then carefully remove the lid. You might want to blend a couple cups of the soup as suggested in step 3. Serve with garnishes of your choice.

Nutrition

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Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa

Kathryne Taylor — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 19:57:52 +0000

This recipe’s photo shoot was going swimmingly until the very end. Ingredients, sunlight, dog not on table—check, check, check. Then I told myself to quit being lazy and pull out the tripod to be sure I got some crystal-clear photos of the final dish.

I tripped over Cookie, the tripod arm bumped the foam board reflector, the reflector knocked over the mini milk pitcher and then both bowls. It was like watching a stack of dominoes fall.

It was Cookie’s lucky day. She helped clean up the spilled milk and I gladly called it a day. I’m excited to share this recipe today. I mean, if that recipe title didn’t do it for you, I don’t know what will. Cinnamon toast! This breakfast quinoa really tastes like cinnamon toast.

I haven’t even been terribly excited about quinoa for breakfast, but this recipe is a definite game changer. Cooking it with freshly toasted pecans (you’ll toast them in the saucepan before adding the rest), coconut oil, cinnamon, and a few dashes of salt makes it legitimately crave-worthy. Do try it and let me know if you agree.

I found the recipe concept in an Amazon impulse purchase, a vegan and gluten-free cookbook called Yum Universe by Heather Crosby, who also runs a blog by the same name. I tweaked the method and ingredients, like I do.

This recipe is the perfect use for leftover quinoa, although I like it so much that I’ve started cooking up quinoa just for breakfast. Here’s how to cook perfect quinoa, which never fails me.

Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa

Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa

Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 3 mins
Cook Time: 7 mins
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 serving

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.9 from 113 reviews

Epic breakfast quinoa recipe featuring toasted pecans, coconut oil, cinnamon and dried cherries or cranberries. It tastes like cinnamon toast! Recipe as written yields 1 serving; you can multiply it as necessary, as long as you use a suitably sized pot.

Ingredients

Breakfast quinoa

Heaping 2 tablespoons chopped raw pecans
1 ½ teaspoons coconut oil
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
Tiny pinch of salt
1 cup pre-cooked quinoa* (either chilled or warm from cooking—both will work)
1 tablespoon maple syrup, more if desired

Toppings and optional accompaniments

1 tablespoon chopped dried cherries or dried cranberries
Hemp seeds, chia seeds or flax seeds (optional), for serving
Milk or yogurt of choice (totally optional), for serving

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Instructions

First, toast the pecans before we add the remaining ingredients. To do so, warm the pecans in a small saucepan (use a larger saucepan if you are making multiple servings) over medium heat, shimmying the pan often, until the pecans smell fragrant and toasty, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Add the coconut oil, cinnamon and salt to the pot. While stirring constantly, cook until the cinnamon is fragrant, about 15 seconds.
Add the quinoa to the pot and stir to combine. Cook, while stirring constantly, just until the quinoa is warmed through, about a minute or so. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the maple syrup.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and top with dried fruit and a hefty sprinkle of hemp seeds, if using. Top with a light sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve promptly, with additional maple syrup and milk or yogurt on the side, if you’d like.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Yum Universe by Heather Crosby.
Change it up: Try honey instead of maple syrup, use your favorite nuts or seeds, toast unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut with the nuts, top with fresh fruit or instead of dried, add a big dollop of applesauce, etc.
Make it nut free: Omit the nuts or replace them with pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds).
*How to cook quinoa: Check out my preferred cooking method here. You’ll need to cook about ⅓ cup dry quinoa with ⅔ cup water to yield 1 cup quinoa, but I recommend making more than that so you have leftovers for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Nutrition

The post Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa appeared first on Cookie and Kate.

Vegetarian Quinoa Recipes - Cookie and Kate

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Watch How to Make Southwestern Kale Power Salad

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Watch How to Make Perfectly Fluffy Quinoa

Roasted Mushrooms with Herbed Quinoa

Ingredients

Roasted Mushrooms:

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Mexican Quinoa Stew

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