Modern Thanksgiving – Quinoa & Winter Veggies

With that traditional Thanksgiving dinner less than a week away now, making plans for what goes on the dinner table and the inevitably long, familiar shopping list that goes with it are just about underway.

For us, the holiday will be a quiet, cozy time this year filled with giving thanks for our happy, healthy family. It’s also one of those years where will be trying out some new food traditions that have a classic feel, with a modern flair.

Ken isn’t a giant fan of the whole turkey and potatoes thing. Honestly, the kids really only tolerate it from me because they are holding out for their grandma’s amazing homemade perogi.

So, for us it will be ham and a tasty, super cozy dish packed with warm winter veg and our newest favorite grain – quinoa.

Before a couple of months ago, I was totally intimidated by this nutrition-packed grain. But, as we started eating less and less meat in our house, I needed something tasty to replace the missing protein. Enter quinoa. We’ve tried it lots of different ways. But, our favorite so far is a warm mash with winter veggies. It’s a great alternative to potatoes or pasta that often leave you heavy and sleepy.

Here is the very simple recipe.

Quinoa with Winter Veggies

Ingredients:

- One box of quinoa (we use Casbah brand)

- A box of Low-sodium chicken stock

- Winter veggies. You can use just about anything. We like carrots and cauliflower.

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 2 TBSP of olive oil

- a handful of fresh sage

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa according to the directions on the box, substituting the chicken stock for the water. Set aside another 1/2 C of chicken stock. Meanwhile, chop and steam the veggies until they are a consistency your family likes. We usually steam for about 8-10 minutes.

2. In another pan, sautee the garlic, sage and onions until soft. Throw the steamed veggies in there and sautee for 3-5 minutes.

3. When the quinoa is done, mix in the veggies and slowly start adding the leftover chicken stock until the mix becomes just a bit moist. Careful not to put too much stock in. You don’t want it to get soupy. Mix in about 1/2 C of parmesan cheese, then salt and pepper to taste.

This steaming pot of goodness is so very delicious and looks gorgeous on the Thanksgiving table. Enjoy!

Tags: ., Canada, family, Kids, Our Big Earth Media Co., quinoa, recipe, Thanksgiving, vegetables, warm, Winter

Category: Dinner, EAT LOCAL, Recipes