Quick Quinoa Skillet Supper (A Root Formula)
Cook time:
25 mins
Total time:
25 mins
Yield: 4 people
Description
You can also treat this skillet dinner like a legume and grain salad, using raw veggies instead of cooked. Good raw vegetable candidates: sliced radishes, carrots, cucumbers, peppers, fennel and halved cherry tomatoes. Drizzle these warm salads with Versatile Vinaigrette or Balsamic Vinaigrette or, if you’re in a rush, a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1/2 recipe) cooked quinoa from A Pot of Quinoa
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, cut into medium dice
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound Tender or Firm Vegetables (see below)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Spices and/or Dried Herbs, optional
- 2 cups Legumes; Cooked Beans or Lentils; OR frozen, thawed lima beans; edamame; or green peas
- Fresh Herbs and/or Flavorings, optional
Firm Vegetables
- Brussel Sprouts: trim and halve
- Winter squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, or rutabagas: peel and cut into medium dice
- Broccoli or cauliflower: Trim and cut into small florets
- Cabbage: halve, core, and coarsely shred
- Asparagus: snap off tough ends and discard; remove tips and cut thin spears into 1-inch lengths; halve medium and large spears lengthwise and cut into 1-inch lengths
- Carrots: peel and thinly slice
- Snow peas or sugar snap peas: if not done already, remove strings; halve crosswise
- Green beans: trim and cut into 1-inch lenghts
Tender Vegetables
- Mushrooms: thinly slice
- Peppers: cut into medium dice
- Zucchini or yellow squash: trim ends and cut into medium dice
- Cherry tomatoes: halve large ones; leave small ones whole
- Eggplant: trim and cut into medium dice
- Fennel: halve, core, and coarsely shred
Instructions
- If you don't already have cooked quinoa, make a pot (you will only need a half recipe for this dish) and prepare vegetables while quinoa cooks
- If using Firm Vegetables, place oil, onions, garlic, vegetable(s) of choice, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper in a large (12-inch) skillet. If using Spices or Dried Herbs add them now. Turn burner on high, cover pan, and cook until water evaporates, and vegetables are tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook until water evaporates and the onions start to turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
- If using Tender Vegetables, heat oil in a large (12-inch skillet), add onions, tender vegetables, and garlic; cook until softened, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and several grinds of pepper, and any Spices and/or Dried Herbs you may choose, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in quinoa and legumes/ beans; cook to heat through, just a couple of minutes. If using Fresh Herbs and/or Flavorings, add them now. Serve.