Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables + Quinoa
Quinoa is extremely easy to cook and I often have a bag of it in the fridge, so I can make up a quick healthy meal for dinner or to have as a salad for my lunch. It’s high in protein and contains all the essential amino acids your body needs. In particular, quinoa is high in lysine, an amino acid important for tissue growth and repair.
This salad is delicious warm or cold. It keeps for around 2 days and I often make up a big double batch so I can have it for lunch the next day. It’s delicious topped with a little feta, lemon zest and a light sprinkle of pistachio or pumpkin seed.
2 capsicum, cut into chunks (red and yellow)
500 g pumpkin cut into large chunks
1 red onion, cut into wedges
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
180 g (1 cup / 6oz) quinoa, well rinsed + drained
1 1/2 cups water
1 lemon
small bunch parsely chopped
1 tablespoon pesto
Preheat oven to 200 C.
Combine capsicum, pumpkin, zucchini and red onion with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Season with ground pepper and a little cinnamon.
Roast for 30 minutes or until pumpkin is tender.
Cook quinoa by combining into a small pot with 2 cups of water, similar to rice. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat to low and cover.
Cook for 15 minutes until tender and water is absorbed.
Remove from the heat and allow to sit for another 10 minutes.
Remove vegetables from the oven and place into a large bowl.
Add the quinoa, lemon zest and a little juice, parsely and pesto.
Mix through lightly until combined.
Spoon into serving bowls and enjoy.
Additions: Top with crumbled feta or ricotta or top with fish for extra protein.
Add extra vegetables such as baby spinach or sauteed kale.
Sprinkle with chopped pistachio nut just before serving.
Serves 4
Nutrition per serve:
Protein: 8.5 g
Total fat: 7 g
Saturated: 1.2 g
Carbs: 27 g
Fiber: 5.8 g
kilojoules: 882
Calories: 211
Quinoa is available from most supermarkets and health food stores.
Contact Teresa Cutter
Hi Teresa,
I went away on holidays and had a quinoa porridge off the breakfast menu – it was delicious!
Do you think this is a good food to have at breakfast time? And if so, do you have any tips/ideas to make it a yummy morning dish?
Thank you!
Love, Lauren xxx
Hey Lauren – I’ll post up a lovely quinoa porridge recipe you can easily enjoy for a healthy breakfast.
x
thank you
xxx
Lauren, I have started having 1/4 cup quinoa, 1/2 cup water, 4 mushed up prunes (easy if you keep them soaked in water) for brekkie. You just warm it up and serve with good quality natural yog. I was also going to ask Theresa what she thought of that! Theresa?
This looks amazing!
Now to get the hubby eating it!
Love your recipes.
Camilla
Hi Teresa,
I made this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely beautiful. My children also enjoyed it with one going back for more!! We actually discussed other veges you could put in – they came up beetroot and sweet potato to name a couple. Thanks!!
Jenny
That’s awesome Jenny ! so quick off the mark !
x
I went to your cafe by chance on the weekend and I am now officially obsessed! I sat admiring my salmon with asparagus listening to tables all around me in awe of their own meals
I am now am so grateful to see you have a website with recipes, I am now doubly obsessed
this is so similar to a recipe I use but over cous cous & top with a peanut or tahini sauce. Even my meat eating husband enjoys it!!
Hi Teresa
You mention keeping your quinoa in the fridge. Is there a reason for keeping it stored in the fridge?
I keep all seeds, nuts, oils and grain in the fridge Lisa. It keeps them lovely and fresh for ages and they won’t go rancid like they sometimes do sitting in pantry cupboards. Actually my fridge is like my pantry – it has everything in it and the food stays lovely, cold and fresh. Make sure though all containers are sealed properly to stop any moisture.
x
Hi Teresa,
I would love it if you could put up a chickpea or lentil salad recipe!
Thanks
Meg
This was fantastic – even without the parsley (didn’t have any on hand). Both my boyfriend and I love it and it’s so filling too! Thanks!!
Hi Teresa,
I cooked this last night for my family for dinner to rave reviews. We loved it!
Cheers,
Bec
Awesome Bec – glad your family loved it. Making it tonight too ! xx
Can you freeze left overs of this?
Wow! Made this quinoa dish tonight. So delicious! I’ll definately be cooking this again. Thanks Teresa!
I just made this for lunch and it was delicious! Thank you so much for your beautiful recipes. Love the fact that I can find delicious nutritious vegan recipes that I can actually buy the ingredients to make
Hi Teresa!
this Salad is just too delicious
I did it without the pumpkin and had fennel and salmon instead!! I did the salmon with the other veggies in the oven and mixed everything up with Pesto Rosso! I can´t tell you how delicious it is, you have to try it!!!
PS the salmon adds Omega 3 and a lot more Protein to the salad
thank you Teresa, this receipe made my day!
best regards from Berlin,
Padma
Hi Teresa,
Can I please…do you make your own pesto and if so what do you use? and do you recommend a specific brand?
Cheers
Sussan
That was meant to say…can I please ask? what is your favourite healthy recipe for pesto?
many thanks
Best wishes
Sussan
Hi Teresa
Thanks for your site, it’s a gem.
I’m wondering when you use pumpkin, do you keep the skin on? I’ve had roasted pumpkin with skin on and it tastes great but was wondering if it needed oiling or only works with certain types of pumpkins.
Cheers