Kale + lemon + quinoa = a trio just meant to be together.
I started making this dish over my month-long winter break from school. It was inspired by a pasta dish from one of my favorite blogs, Bev Cooks. Bev’s recipe used spaghetti. I swapped in quinoa for spaghetti and made a few other changes as well.
This dish is quick and uses simple ingredients. It’s my favorite kind of recipe.
I just know that once you make this, you will love it, and make it again, again and again!
Method:
Start with:
1 c. quinoa
2 c. vegetable stock
Thoroughly rinse quinoa. Add quinoa and stock to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, stir, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy.
Meanwhile:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 of a lemon
2 c. chopped kale
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
Salt and pepper
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook to flavor the oil, about 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and squeeze the juice of 1/2 of a lemon into the pan. Add chopped kale and stir. Cook until the kale is slightly wilted and tender, about 3 minutes. Toss in sunflower seeds and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
Pour lemon/kale mixture over quinoa and stir to incorporate.
*I like to serve this with a dollop of goat cheese and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
I hope that you enjoy!