Lemony Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I am o b s e s s e d with a very specific lemon garlic orzo recipe created by Traci at Vanilla and Bean. Today, I bring you my rendition of her bright, citrusy, and incredibly fresh recipe.

I subbed in quinoa in the place of orzo for some reasons specific to my body:

1. Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks for tissue and muscle building in our bodies. Animal products, such as meat, fish, and eggs, supply us with all the essential amino acids. However, I have been eating a mostly plant-based diet these days, especially during the week, so it is crucial that I give my body the amino acids it needs!

2. My body has not been tolerating gluten very well lately. Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and doesn't leave me feeling crappy after a meal, so I love using it when I'm meal prepping!

This lemony quinoa recipe is my go-to when I need to clean out my fridge! I gather up all of my fresh vegetables that are just on the verge of going bad and roast them up. While they're cooking, I rinse my quinoa and cook it until it's light and fluffy. While the quinoa is fluffifying (no, this is not a word; yes, I will continue to use it) I whisk up the super fresh citrus dressing that makes this dish great. I like to garnish with basil, feta, and thin, wispy ribbons of fresh spinach, but of course you can add whatever you want. 

 

Lemony Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients
Veggies
- Any veggies on hand (I used 1 bell pepper & about 10 mushrooms in the pictures, but this is BOMB with roasted cherry tomatoes)
- About 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- Seasoning to taste: salt, pepper

Quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 3 cups water or vegetable broth

Dressing
- 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
The Veggies
1. Preheat oven to 425 F, and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the washed and chopped veggies with olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Spread in one layer on the pan and roast for about 30 minutes. Check periodically to make sure they aren't burning. 
 
The Quinoa
1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer.
2. Add to saucepan with water or broth and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Cover and turn heat to the lowest setting for 15 minutes.
4. With the lid on, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes
5. Fluff with a fork.

The Dressing and Final Steps
1. Whisk ingredients for the dressing together until combined.
2. In a large bowl, mix together in the cooked quinoa, roasted veggies, and dressing.
3. Serve warm. I like to garnish with feta, fresh basil, and spinach. 

As always, I love to see how you make these recipes your own! Tag me @workinggirlnutrition on Instagram or message me on my Facebook page!