Tag: bowl meals

Ingredients: Quinoa, Dinosaur Kale, Cremini Mushrooms, Tomato, Roasted Purple Onion, Kerrygold Butter

Quinoa is such a protein packed grain that I love to keep it stocked in a few places. In the pantry, obviously, but also in the fridge and freezer. Plus, it’s one of those ingredients that is almost better when made in bulk. Then I portion it into single serving containers and stash some in the fridge and some in the freezer. You can cook it in water, but I usually use stock for a little extra in the flavor department. I tend to buy the organic, sprouted variety so I don’t have to “worry” (read:plan for) rinsing and soaking the quinoa. Make sure to check the package cooking directions to see if yours have been rinsed. Mother Nature has given quinoa a bitter protective coating, saponins, so better safe than sorry. The first time I made it, I didn’t know about that part…trust, it’s much tastier when you prep it correctly. 🙂 If I can’t buy it sprouted, soaking quinoa takes no effort, just a bit of planning. I think it tastes better when you soak it. Really getting rid of the saponins that coat it and allowing the grain to breaking down a bit in a little salted, acidic water makes it taste nuttier and seem fluffier, in my opinion. So, I cover quinoa that I have rinsed under tap water in a very fine sieve with about 2 inches of filtered water, a splash of apple cider vinegar, and some sea salt. I let it sit, covered, on the counter overnight. I rinse it thoroughly the next day…until the water runs clear thoroughly…and then I cook it. Soaking it decreases the cooking time and the amount of liquid needed significantly so it was a bit of an adjustment for me when I started doing it. Like most things, there are pros and cons to soaking grains and a big Google hole to fall into if you are interested. There is a ton of conversation kicking around out there about the effect it has on digestion and nutrient absorption, but what I really enjoy about the process is the product.

For this one, I sautéed some sliced cremini mushrooms in a little butter for a few minutes before I added some leftover roasted purple onion and a Roma tomato. I let everything get warmed through before I added the dinosaur kale into the party. As a bonus, most people absorb a little more of the lycopene from tomatoes if you put a little heat to them. Once the kale was wilty, I added in my pre-cooked quinoa and let everything become a team over medium low heat for a few minutes. If you are pulling from a meal prepped fridge, quinoa bowls come together super fast and the combinations are eternal.