This quinoa pilaf is great as a high protein lunch, side dish or for heavier meal add additional protein like chickpeas, cooked chicken, or extra cheese
¼cupnutschopped toasted, like pecans, walnuts, or pine nuts
½cupfeta cheese
additional roasted vegetablesoptional
1tablespoonparsleychopped
Instructions
Bring quinoa and broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has absorbed about 15 minutes. {You can do this before making the pilaf. Just refrigerate the cooked quinoa until you're ready to prepare the pilaf}
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions & bell pepper and cook until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir for about 1 minute. Stir in salt and salt-free seasoning. Remove from heat and set aside.
Transfer quinoa to a bowl, gently stir in onion/pepper mixture, spinach leaves, tomatoes, nuts, cheese, and additional vegetables if using. Top with parsley. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve later. This will keep well in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.
Notes
*You can always substitute sun-dried tomatoes for the regular tomatoes and chopped olives for the nuts.*You can add 1 cup cooked chicken, turkey, chickpeas, or other beans to make this a more substantial meal.