Quinoa super bowl. Broccoli, sweet potato, tofu, garlic & orange.

I love quinoa. It's been one of the best, healthiest swaps I have made.

The first few times I cooked it, over 20 years ago, a soggy mess, unimpressed faces and wasted food ensued!

It took many more attempts to create interesting dishes and convince the family to swap from pasta.

Quinoa is a great source of protein and fibre.

I made this balanced, healthy bowl the other day. This is vegan, has great crunch and flavour, and it's easy to add meat, fish, egg or cheese to this yummy mix.

It nutritionally balanced, with fats, carbohydrates and protein, plus many essential micronutrients.

This meal has prebiotics & fibre to fuel the friendly gut bacteria. Also probiotics to add good gut bacteria & polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants, important for cell health. Antioxidants in this recipe are found in the orange, green veggies, sweet potato, honey & spices.

This recipe serves 2-4. It works perfectly for the 2 of us. We enjoy a bowl at the evening meal, then the next night with some fish, goat's cheese, chick peas, or boiled eggs.

It also works warm or cold! So it's a great, year-round dish. Select organic/natural produce where possible, especially for the tofu, nuts & quinoa.

What you'll need:

1. 1-2 sweet potato

2. 1 orange

3. 1.5 cups cooked quinoa (best soaked for a few hours first) be careful not to overcook. The quinoa should have a sightly crunchy texture. However it must be cooked through!

4. 8oz (approx) baked, non-GMO tofu -chopped into cubes

5. broccoli - around1/2 cup

6. asparagus - 4-6 spears - chopped

7. 3 green onions/shallots - chopped

8. 3 radish - chopped

9. 2 tablespoons pine nuts

10. chopped orange pieces, after squeezing out most of the juice

11. fresh chopped herbs, I used sage. Can use dried herbs too.

Dressing:

• Add the following ingredients to a jar and shake well.

• 3 cloves garlic - chopped or crushed

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (look for ones with a harvest date and in a glass bottle)

• 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

• juice of one orange

• 1/4 teasp clove

• 1-2 teaspoons raw honey

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric + several grinds black pepper

Drizzle with more olive oil, squeeze of lemon & add salt & pepper to taste.

What to do

Bake cubes of sweet potato (or pumpkin) on an oven tray until just turning golden (no oil needed)

cook the quinoa. When it's nearly cooked, add the broccoli and cook for 2 mins and the asparagus and cook for a further 30 seconds. drain

Optional - cook the quinoa in grass fed chicken bone broth or stock of choice.

When the quinoa & veg has drained, return it to the saucepan and add the other chopped ingredients

Add the dressing, toss through, enjoy!

Nutrition tips: Serve with a glass of kombucha, or have a dollop of yoghurt for desert to add more probiotics to the meal. Add a few cubes of pineapple for digestion, and to help break down proteins.

TIP: keep a batch of cubed, cooked sweet potato ready to throw into salads and use as meals and snacks. The perfect swap for pasta, rice or bread. Use as any meal's carbohydrate

Add fresh greens of choice. These radish microgreens add bite and character to the dish. They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Asparagus is great! It adds interest, texture and prebiotic fibres to your meal. Prebiotics are essential for feeding the good gut bacteria, which are responsible for sending messages throughout the body and are key to overall functioning and wellness.

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A bientôt!

Thanks for reading my blog, feel free to check out the other ones.

Love Laura