BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO

It’s January and not to seem cliché or anything, but we’re pretty sure you’re ready for a reset. We’ve all been ignoring our healthy routines and partaking in all the cookies, appetizers and rich foods for the holidays. Now it’s time to treat ourselves to a filling and nutrient-rich quinoa bowl. These are incredible for quick weeknight dinners, and also, they’re extremely versatile. You can top quinoa with virtually anything. We like roasted garbanzo beans, sautéed spinach, red onion, snap peas and feta. A bit of a Mediterranean twist. But you can do black beans, sweet peppers, corn and cheddar. That’s the beauty of quinoa, it complements any topping while packing a protein and fiber-rich punch. A perfect meatless meal to get you back on track.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (red, white or mixed), rinsed

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

spinach (raw or sautéed)

roasted garbanzo beans (you can roast yourself, or buy a bag)

snap peas

avocado

red onion

pistachios

feta

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions

Always rinse quinoa before using it! To do so, simply add quinoa to a fine mesh strainer, then run cold water over it for at least 1 minute to remove any bitterness.

Pour rinsed quinoa and stock of choice in a medium saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. Bring to a boil. Once the quinoa has begun to boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 25 minutes or until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and set aside.

To assemble bowl, toss the quinoa with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Top with a generous helping of vegetables and feta.

Dig in!