R and I are pasta and potato junkies. But with him trying to train for the marathon, and me trying to keep up, we’re trying to mix it up a little and be a bit healthier. On a mission to find something high protein yet delightful to eat, I made this, a mismatch of this kale and pesto quinoa recipe from 101Cookbooks.com and this butternut squash and feta quinoa recipe from Lorraine Pascale.
I don’t have a precise recipe, as I sort of blended the two recipes together and added in a little instinct. First I put some butternut squash in the oven to roast (it took about 20 minutes). Then, I put the quinoa on to cook in water, while I stir fried an onion and garlic clove, before adding some tofu. The tofu browned, I added some sweet red pepper and then the kale and then tipped in a little pot of pomegranate. By this time, the quinoa was fluffy and done, so I mixed the stir-fried veg and the butternut squash with the cooked grains, added a fistful of pine nuts, crumbled in some feta, added two tablespoons of pesto, tons of fresh mint and basil, and it was done.
It’s the first time I’ve ever tried quinoa, and I feel virtuously satisfied as a result. It’s amazing how many natural flavours come out and how light yet filling it all is; the quinoa grains are like little broken pearls, the pomegranates luscious gems with that oh-so-satisfying crunch. Very tasty, amazingly light, and so, so wonderfully good.
Sounds delish and healthy.
Quinoa is one of my favourite things to eat and did someone mention butternut squash? Oh I need to give this a try!