Another Amazing Recipe

I was going to title this post "Vegetables & Quinoa" but then I didn't think anyone would read it. Aha!! I've tricked you!

Veggies = You know what they are and why you need them!
Quinoa = A great form of complete protein, as it contains all nine essential amino acids. Commonly considered a grain, it is actually a relative of leafy green vegetables like spinach and Swiss chard.

This recipe was adapted from a recipe in the book "How It All Vegan." It is so super delicious that even my quinoa-hating husband loved it! And, as with everything I make, it really is simple, so don't let the long ingredient list scare you away. The most difficult thing is to not burn, or overflow the quinoa!

Ingredients (for veggie topping):
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
4 mushrooms, quartered
1 small green pepper, sliced
1 small red pepper, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup water
1.5 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp olive oil
4 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
Salt (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)

Ingredients (for quinoa):
1 cup (dry) quinoa
2 cups water (add more if necessary)

Preheat oven to 450. In a large bowl, combine carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and mix well. Spread mixture out on a cookie sheet and roast in oven for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly browned. When done, place 1/2 cup of the roasted veggies into a blender or food processor and blend with the 1/2 cup water, tomato paste, vinegar, maple syrup, oil, basil, and tomatoes. Transfer this sauce and the remaining roasted vegetables to a medium sized saucepan and cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Note: I rarely salt anything, but this did need salt.

At the same time as prepping the veggies, make your quinoa..

First, be sure to rinse the quinoa well, prior to cooking. In a saucepan, combine the 1 cup quinoa, with 2 cups water. Bring to boil, and immediately turn the heat down to low (or you'll have the most gigantic mess on your stove that you have ever seen..been there, done that!). Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring  frequently. Do not take your eyes off of this pot!!

To serve, put a scoop of quinoa on the plate, and cover with the veggies.

Serves 4. Need more? Make more quinoa, and roast more veggies.