Curried Vegetable Quinoa Bowls - Vegetables, quinoa, and spices come together to create a delicious and healthy meal that can be made in about 30 minutes!
This is a go-to meal for me on nights when I don't have much time.
I love quinoa for its taste, but aside from that, I love how fast it cooks up!
Fifteen minutes as opposed to the typical 30-45 minutes rice requires; this makes quinoa an obvious choice when I'm crunched for time.
It also provides an astounding amount of complete protein to each meal, unlike its long-grain counterpart.
One-half cup of brown rice provides around seven grams of protein, while one-half cup of quinoa has 12 grams.
I love you rice, but you're lacking in the muscle-building department!
Quinoa is also an acceptable choice if you're following an anti-candida or lower sugar diet. The carb/starch content is about 20 grams lower than that of rice.
While I can't often build a complete meal around rice, sometimes quinoa and vegetables satiate me in such a way that I don't need any added animal protein.
Quinoa also pairs well with just about everything, which makes it a great base for building a meal around.
On lighter nights, I'll have this recipe just as written. If I've been hitting the gym harder that week, however, I'll add in some chopped chicken breast or scrambled eggs.
You can also vary the vegetable mix a bit if you're not keen on what I've included.
Sometimes, I'll add in a hefty handful of dark greens or another vegetable I have on hand, such as green beans.
The spice mix is really what makes it, so feel free to adjust the recipe around that to suit your own taste!
Curried Vegetable Quinoa Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 c . quinoa , uncooked
- 1 T . olive oil
- ¼ red onion , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- small head broccoli (1-2 cups), chopped
- 4 crimini mushrooms , chopped
- 1 large carrot , grated
- 8 cherry tomatoes , quartered
- 1 t . curry powder
- ½ t . turmeric
- ½ t . smoked paprika
- sea salt , to taste
- dash cayenne pepper
- ½ lime , juiced
- 3 T . cilantro , chopped
- water/broth , as needed
Instructions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions.
- Heat oil and add onion and garlic.
- Saute 3-5 minutes until softened.
- Add in mushrooms, broccoli, and a splash of water or broth if the pan is dry.
- Cook 2-3 minutes until broccoli is bright green.
- Add in carrot, tomatoes, and spices, along with another splash or water or broth, if needed.
- Cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Stir in quinoa (once cooked), lime juice, and cilantro until everything is well combined.
- Season with sea salt as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Notes:
Adapted from Nutritionist in the Kitch
Add in some chopped chicken breast or scrambled eggs, if desired.
Add in a large handful of dark greens, such as spinach or chard, if desired.
If you give this recipe or any other a try, please comment and let me know, or tag me on Instagram if you choose to share it there!
Dinah
Awesome Recipe! I made this tonight only I juiced lemon as I didnt have lime, and roasted pumpkin and beetroot separately which I tossed through at the end with the cilantro and lemon. My partner says it is the best quinoa recipe he's had yet and we have been trying a few. Thanks ☺
Lauren
That's great Dinah, thanks for the comment! 😀
Melanie
This is my new favorite lunch! I just make a big batch of quinoa at the beginning of the week and make these bowls fresh each day. Thank you!