Over the last two years, Quinoa has boomed in popularity. It’s not hard to see why, the only hard thing to see is why it took so long. With just a little research it is easy to identify some major benefits to cooking with quinoa. The two that stick out the most to me are:
- Quinoa is a gluten free grain! Quinoa flakes are a perfect substitute for oatmeal, quinoa flour is easy to cook with, and quinoa can easily stand in the place of rice or couscous.
- Quinoa is a complete protein- that means all the amino acids that we need to fill our nutritional needs are present. Can I get an halleluiah?!
This recipe provides a delicious, vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan friendly meal. Not to mention it’s on the healthier side, made up of entirely vegetables and seeds (yes, quinoa is technically a seed). So, the next time you have a dinner party and don’t know what to cook, I got your back. Throw some sweet potatoes on the oven and some quinoa on the stove and you’re good to go! Your guests will love this seasonal treat.
Happy cooking :)
-Sarah
Ingredients:
- 2 sweet potatoes
- ½ cup quinoa (measured while dry)
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow or white onion, diced
- 1 cup raw spinach (or kale), sliced into 1-inch pieces with stems removed*
- ¼ cup (plus) dried cranberries
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.
- Rinse the sweet potatoes, dry, and wrap in aluminum foil. Once the oven has preheated, place the sweet potatoes straight on the wire and bake for 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until fork tender.
- While the sweet potatoes bake, prepare the quinoa and veggies. Cook the quinoa in the vegetable broth- bringing the broth to a boil and then immediately covering and reducing to a simmer for 15 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan. Once hot, add the diced onion and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook until soft, stirring regularly.
- Add the spinach and cranberries to the onions and sauté for about 3 minutes, or until soft. If dry, splash a little water in the pan, which will help steam the spinach.
- Add the quinoa to the frying pan and mix together.
- Cut the sweet potatoes in half and scoop out the core. Spoon the quinoa mixture onto the sweet potato and serve!*
Notes and Tips!:
- Serves: 4
- You can easily substitute kale for the spinach, use whatever you have in the house or your favorite leafy green!
- Serving suggestions: Try serving these stuffed sweet potatoes with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette and/or crumbled goat cheese on top!
- Source: Leslie Durso food blog
- Quinoa information from Livestrong
- Like this recipe? Check out these delicious dishes! Sweet Potato and Goat Cheese Quesadillas, Vegan Sweet Potato Quinoa Chili with homemade tortilla chips, and Quinoa and Parmesan Kale Patties!
