Lentil and quinoa one pot stop
Gluten free/vegan
What’s for dinner for all you gorgeous vegans?
Lentil and quinoa one pot stop, that’s what!
Am I the only one who buys “Super foods“ in large quantities when they are on special, because I am going to be really, really, healthy and then you get home and you put them in the back of the pantry and in the back of your mind because on Monday the health kick begins.
Well it’s time to use that quinoa stored in your pantry. Quinoa is supposedly the mother of all “super grains” It’s meant to be rich in fibre, minerals, antioxidants and all nine essential amino acids, apparently quinoa may improve blood sugar, cholesterol levels and even help with weight loss. But let’s face it, unlike rice it don’t taste too terrific on its own. It needs a bit of help in the taste department, don’t worry I have a recipe for you that’s flavoursome and now you can enjoy that quinoa that’s been getting lonely in your pantry before it’s expiry date.
This one pot stop is filling, YAY, flavoursome, YAY, aromatic, YAY and it’s a great midweek meal, or a weekend meal. You decide.
Ingredients
1 eggplant
2 purple onions, sliced
5 tablespoons oil + some oil spray
1 cup of quinoa
2 x 400g canned lentils, drained and rinsed
4 cups vegetable stock
¼ cup of tomato paste
1 ½ teaspoons cumin powder
1 ½ teaspoons garlic salt
1 ½ teaspoons sweet paprika
1 ½ teaspoons mixed spice
1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
3 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C
Cut the eggplant into thin slices but leave attached at the stem, place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and spray eggplant with oil. Make sure you spray all the slices with oil, feel free to drizzle a little on top as well.
Sprinkle salt and pepper according to taste and place in the oven until eggplant is cooked through: roughly 25 minutes.
In a frying pan, fry the onions with 4 tablespoons of oil on medium to high heat for five minutes, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to cook until caramelised: about 25 minutes.
While the onions are cooking, place one tablespoon of oil in a pot, add the quinoa, lentils, spices, bay leaves, dried parsley and give them a good stir.
Add the tomato paste and stir thoroughly, add the stock and give it another good stir, bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for approx.. 25 minutes or until quinoa is cooked through.
Serve quinoa with eggplant and brown rice and garnish with fresh parsley.
I used my yoghurt sauce for the topping. I also threw in some roasted chickpeas.
Yummy!
Enjoy
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