QUINOA BOWL WITH CHIMICHURRI

Do you feel like a short order cook at home? Vegetarian, pescatarian, carnivore, gluten-free, vegan. The dietary needs within just one family can make one’s head spin, or at least make cooking dinner very annoying. Now that the rest of my family has added meat into their diet, I sometimes find myself cooking multiple meals for dinner. Not ideal at all. I cook meat a couple times a week to appease the omnivores in my family and have come up with strategies like this Chimichurri Sauce to make my life easier.

This sauce tastes great on just about anything – tofu, beef, chicken, salmon, eggs, veggies, whole grains – seriously delicious. It packs a punch of flavor, which means you don’t have to spend time marinating or seasoning the multiple components of your meal. Make-Your- Own-Quinoa-Bowl is my favorite way to use this Chimichurri Sauce. Top your quinoa with roasted veggies, a green leafy vegetable (cooked or raw) and your choice of seared tofu or sliced chicken. Flavored with this sauce, everyone is happy, including you!

The addition of avocado to a traditional Chimichurri really takes it to the next level. It also adds more heart-healthy monounsaturated fat to the extra virgin olive oil content. Couple that with all the super power goodness that comes from garlic (think antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral properties) and you’ve got a condiment that not only tastes great, but is also super healthy. Lastly, parsley plays a central role in both the flavor and health profile of this sauce with its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. In a nutshell, this sauce is so good for you, so eat up!

The versatility of this sauce lends itself to bulk cooking. Make a double batch of this recipe and spend even less time in the kitchen. Happy days! Drizzle it on eggs or avocado toast in the morning. Make a leafy or whole grain lunch salad even more special with this sauce. Top baked salmon or steak with it for your next dinner. The options really are endless.

The many different components of this recipe may seem daunting, but I’m a big fan of repurposing food for future meals. The quinoa and tofu are amazing additions to a lunch salad, while at the same time, boosts protein content. To cut down on time in the kitchen, I use options that are already cooked in my fridge (like roasted sweet potatoes, cooked quinoa) and offer raw options that can be thrown in a bowl quickly. The combos for Make-your-own-quinoa-bowl are never exactly the same in our house! This recipe offers one variation, but feel free to mix and match to make it your own.

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Quinoa Bowl with Chimichurri

This is one of many variations of my quinoa bowls. I love how this Chimichurri is so versatile and tastes great on everything including meat, veggies, tofu, whole grains. Make-Your-Own-Quinoa-Bowl night is a go-to meal for my family and allows people to pick and choose, depending on their mood and dietary preferences. Everyone wins!

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp avocado oil divided
• 1 package firm tofu sliced into 8 rectangles
• 6 oz portobello mushrooms sliced
• 3 eggs scrambled
• a few handfuls arugula
• cherry tomatoes halved

Chimichurri Sauce

• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup parsley
• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 small red serrano pepper
• 1 tsp oregano
• 3/4 tsp sea salt
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Quinoa Bowl

1. To make quinoa, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Put quinoa in a small pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 15 minutes.

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp avocado oil over medium high heat. Add tofu in one layer. Cook until bottom side begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Flip tofu pieces and cook on the other side until browned, another few minutes. Remove tofu pieces from pan.

3. In the same skillet, add portobello mushrooms and a dash of sea salt. Sauté until tender. Set cooked mushrooms aside.

4. In the same skillet (why wash more than one?), add the remaining 1 Tbsp avocado oil. Heat oil over medium heat. Add eggs and allow to spread evenly in one layer across pan. Season with sea salt and pepper. Allow to cook for a few minutes until the bottom has set. Flip over to cook the other side. Remove from pan and cut into strips.

5. To assemble quinoa bowl, spoon quinoa in each bowl. Top with portobello mushrooms, a couple tofu pieces, a few egg strips, cherry tomatoes and a handful or two of arugula. Drizzle with a generous helping of Chimichurri Sauce.

Chimichurri Sauce

1. Put all ingredients in a food processor except olive oil and avocado. Pulse in order to chop ingredients. Add olive oil while running food processor until desired consistency. Stir in cubed avocado.