Quick Quinoa Veggie Bowl

This vibrant quinoa bowl doesn’t actually require much cooking, which means there are lots of heat-free prep tasks for little hands! This recipe comes to us from Ann of My Menu Pal.

Serves 4

Cooking Tip of the Week: If you want more flavor for your quinoa, cook in vegetable stock instead of water.

Food for Thought: Have you ever wondered why fruits and vegetables have such beautiful, vibrant colors? These colors, called pigments, help the plants convert sunlight to energy through a process called photosynthesis. The pigments also make the plants attractive to insects, which helps them pollinate and grow. And for the people eating colorful fruits and veggies, these pigments have benefits, too! Many plant pigments are vitamins and antioxidants, which are important to a healthy diet. That’s why you’ll hear people say “eat the rainbow!”

Family Dinner Conversation Starter: Have you ever seen a real rainbow? Where were you? Did it look like the rainbows you see in pictures?

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups water
• 2/3 cup uncooked multicolored quinoa
• Kosher salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup sliced sundried tomatoes
• 1 cup broccoli, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, sliced
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Adult: In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the quinoa to the boiling water. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until tender and all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Together: While quinoa is cooking, place broccoli in microwavable bowl with 1 tablespoon water and cook for 5 minutes or until desired tenderness.

Together: Build your bowl by starting with 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa in each, then topping with 2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, 1/4 cup broccoli, 1/4 cup carrots and 1/4 of the avocado.

Kid: Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons feta cheese and 1 tablespoon pine nuts.

Notes: Carrots and broccoli may be steamed or roasted in the oven with olive oil if you prefer. To roast broccoli and carrots, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 20 minutes.