Quick and easy has been the overriding theme for the past few months and forseeable future.
And of course, that’s a wonderful thing, no matter what! So here’s one of our favorite one super yummy, super simple, something-for-everyone wonders. Easily vegan, totally customizable. You’ve got your veggie, your protein, your carb all in one. No chopping, no fussing, one pot and all done. It’s evolved over time. I make it with chicken when E is home, without when he’s gone (I prefer without). And I greatly prefer Mache, but if I can’t find it, arugula will work in a pinch. I need to start growing Mache because it’s too expensive to keep up my habit long term!
The amounts are nowhere near precise because first, with soaked quinoa, the amount of broth you need depends on how long it’s been soaking. Personally, my tummy prefers “overcooked” quiona, when it’s much softer. Feel free to customize to your preferences.
1.5 cups quiona
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed with the back of a knife blade
1 carton of Pacific broth or homemade if desired
½ cup pitted olives with a few Tablespoons of the brine, like Kalamatas OR ¼ cup lemon juice
2 clamshells of either mache, arugala or spinach. I like Mache best. Mache cooks quicker than arugala.
Salt and pepper to taste
Soak 1 ½ cups of quinoa overnight in more than enough water to cover. Drain, rinse.
Heat olive oil on medium. Crush a few cloves of garlic. We’ve still got some from the garden—how awesome! Sauté garlic until you start smelling that wonderful aroma. Toss in the quinoa, add in 4 qts broth. Simmer, covered for about 12 min.
Add in a clamshell of arugula and the pitted olives or ¼ cup lemon juice. 2 min later, stir and add Mache. They need to be added one at a time or there’s not enough room in the pot! Let it wilt uncovered, and cook until quinoa is cooked fully.
NOTE: if you love a non-vegan, when the quinoa is starting to unfurl (about 5 min from the end), add 2 diced raw chicken breasts.
I am submitting this to Wellness Weekends, as hosted by the most delicious Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs. This week’s entries are here.
Stumble It!
Sounds wonderful, Cheryl! I love those “all-in-one” dishes, too–quick and easy is the name of the game (though desserts seem to be another story entirely. . .don’t mind spending time on those!). Thanks so much for joining up with Wellness Weekend this week! 😀
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Thanks for the article. I absolutely love quinoa now that I am GF. Quinoa pasta is one of my favorite meals for dinner nowadays! I will definitely be making this dish in the near future.
I love quinoa – it tastes like cornmeal. I’m not familiar with Mache, other than it is the name of a homeschooling organization in Maryland! Does it ever go by another name, because I don’t recall ever seeing it.
Wonderful. I love quinoa mixed with rice to boost the protein content when I have rice with stir fries, etc. Would love to know what an equivalent weight for a clamshell of the leaf content of your recipe is, please. I am not familiar with that measurement, I’m sorry.
Thanks for an excellent website, btw! 🙂
I don’t know–5, 6 oz? I don’t have any at home. I love mache so much that I always figure the more the merrier.
Tomika, according to Wiki, it’s also called Lewiston cornsalad, lamb’s lettuce, fetticus, field salad, mâche, feldsalat, nut lettuce and rapunzel. Wow! I knew about lamb’s lettuce but not the rest.
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Great Stuff! Reminds me of the vegetable salad that my mom used to make for me when we were still living near our farm. Mom’s veggie salad was made of tomatoes, eggplants, okra and onion..mixed with some vinegar and Boom! Tastes so good!
Andrea of 4thebeach beach chairs
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