WHOLESOME QUINOA NOURISH BOWL with Asian Dressing | High Protein Vegetarian and Vegan Meal Ideas

#quinoasalad #plantbaseddiet
Wholesome Quinoa Nourish Bowl with Asian Dressing. High Protein Vegetarian and Vegan Meal Ideas perfect for meal prep/planning.

💬 Let me know in the comments if you enjoyed my vegan quinoa recipe.

▶️ RECIPE INGREDIENTS: (Servings 3 to 4 servings)

👉 To Cook Quinoa:
1 Cup / 190g Toasted Quinoa (I have used tri-colour quinoa)
1+1/4 Cup / 300ml Water

👉 Other Ingredients:
1 Cup / 125g Red Bell Pepper - thinly sliced
1 Cup / 100g Purple Cabbage - Shredded
1 Cup / 100g Carrot - Cut into julienne strips
1 Cup / 150g Cucumber - cut into small pieces
1/2 Cup / 65g Red Onion - chopped
1/2 Cup / 25g Green Onion - chopped
1/2 Cup / 15g Cilantro (Coriander leaves) - chopped
1/2 Cup / 65g Toasted Peanuts

👉 SALAD DRESSING:
3 Tablespoon Lemon Juice OR TO TASTE
1 Teaspoon Ginger - Grated or minced
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic - Grated or minced
2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce or Tamari
2 Tablespoon Maple syrup
2 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil or to taste
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt to Taste (I have added 1/4 teaspoon of pink Himalayan salt)
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

▶️ METHOD:

Start by chopping the vegetables and set it aside.

Toast the quinoa on medium to medium-heat (depending on the heat of your stove) for about 2 minutes or until the seeds starts to crackle and releases it's nutty aroma. By now your kitchen should be filled with this toasty nutty aroma :)
IMMEDIATELY transfer the toasted quinoa to a sieve - spread it out and allow it to cool down completely.

👉 PLEASE NOTE: DO NOT LEAVE the toasted quinoa in the hot pan, otherwise it may end up burning

👉 Toasting the quinoa adds a nutty flavour to this dish and also makes it easy to digest - it serves the same purpose as soaking

Once the quinoa has cooled down, wash it thoroughly, then tranfer it to a wide pan and add the water. Turn on the stove to medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes or until the quinoa is cooked. DO NOT LET THE QUINOA GET MUSHY, that will ruin the dish. As soon as the quinoa is cooked, transfer it to a large mixing bowl and spread it our evenly and allow it to cool down completely.

To prepare the dressing add lemon juice, grated/minced ginger, garlic, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, olive oil, salt and cayenne pepper to a small bowl. Mix thoroughly and set it aside.

By now the quinoa would have cooled down, if not, wait till it completely cools down. Add the bell pepper, purple cabbage, carrot, cucumber, red onion, green onion, cilantro and peanuts to the mixing bowl with quinoa. Stir the dressing again to make sure everything is well incorporated. Then add the dressing to the quinoa/veggies and mix well.

You can eat it right away, BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO CHILL THE SALAD IN THE REFRIDGERATOR FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE SERVING. This will allow the flavours to blend and it tastes so good cold

This recipes is perfect for meal prep / meal planning - it stores well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, if stored well in an airtight container.

▶️ IMPORTANT NOTES:

👉 Toasting the quinoa adds a nutty flavour to this dish and also makes it easy to digest - it serves the same purpose as soaking

👉 Every stove is different so regulate the heat as required. If at any point you notice the pan is getting over heated, reduce the heat

👉 Once the quinoa is toasted, right away transfer it to a sieve or a plate for it to cool down. Please DO NOT LEAVE IT in the hot pan, otherwise it may end up burning

👉 Wash the toasted quinoa, only when it has completely cooled down

👉 Regarding cooking the quinoa, do not let the quinoa get mushy. Cook for 10 minutes or just until quinoa is cooked but still holds it's shape

👉 After you mix the dressing with the quinoa and veggies, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO CHILL IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE SERVING. This will allow the flavours to blend and tastes so good cold

👉 This recipes is perfect for meal prep / meal planning, as it stores in the refrigerator for up to 4 days - if stored well in an airtight container

#salad #saladrecipe #healthysalad #quinoarecipes#quinoasalad #vegetarian #vegetarianrecipes #vegan #VeganRecipes #VeganFood #HealthyRecipes #PlantBased #plantbaseddiet