Vegetable 'Fried' Quinoa

This is one of those recipes that will make it into the meal rotation consistently. I'm always looking for ways to make my dishes more nutrient dense and this was a great recipe for that giving me protein and fiber. I'm happy to have another great addition to the recipe collection. This was a nice use of quinoa and fantastic!

Another reason I love quinoa so much is it comes out of the fridge the next day as well as it went in. It also tastes just as great warm as it does cold. It's unlike rice that hardens and doesn't reheat very well for my liking. Quinoa is a sure staple in my kitchen.

This dish can go any way you like...add/subtract whatever you want...my favorite kind of cooking. You could up the amount of quinoa to vegetable ratio. Here I have one cup quinoa to about 3 - 4 cups vegetables. You don't have to use all these vegetables either but I highly recommend a good assortment for nutrition, texture and color. I have so many because I love veggies! This is also a great recipe for a 'cleaning out the fridge' meal. Almost everything and anything will be tasty. Try snow peas, broccoli, sweet peas, bean sprouts, baby corn and/or celery for variety. Add in some cubed tofu for added protein. Top with white and/or black sesame seeds for a little extra nutrition.

So easy to make...cook your quinoa, stir fry your vegetables, add in quinoa, stir fry a little longer and done. I guarantee you will love this as much as I do! I can easily eat this to myself given the opportunity.♥

Vegetable 'Fried' Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed 
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 corn off the cob
• 1 8 oz. package mushrooms, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced...red, orange or yellow
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped, optional
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons tamari, Bragg's Liquid Amino's or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• Sriracha hot sauce, red pepper flakes or dash of cayenne pepper, to taste

Rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh sieve under cool running water. In medium sauce pan combine quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable broth, bring to a boil, simmer covered for 15 minutes. Once done remove cover and let set for another 15 minutes to soak up the excess water. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

In wok or large skillet, heat oil over medium high, add vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute or so. Add tamari, garlic powder and other seasonings to taste. Cook for another 3 - 4 minutes stirring occasionally, use a lid if needed to help soften the vegetables a bit. Add in quinoa, turn heat to high, cook another 3 - 5 minutes stirring constantly adding a drizzle of oil if mixture seems too dry.

Serve warm. Top with a little sriracha or tamari if you like.

Notes:

I added a few drops of sriracha while adding the garlic powder and tamari, a little goes a long way. This dish doesn't need a lot of seasoning, I felt that the tamari alone would've been enough.

Feel free to use any assortment of vegetables, and be sure to use as much or as little as you like of each vegetable. Try snow peas, broccoli, sweet peas, bean sprouts and/or celery for variety. I always feel you can almost never have too many vegetables!

Use thawed frozen vegetables of choice for convenience.

Add some extra firm cubed tofu in with the vegetables for added protein. 

Enjoy !