Spicy Sweet Potato Quinoa

Here’s my easy Easter dish that’s delish at any social event or family dinner.

This nutritious, gluten-free dinner tastes great warm or cold as leftovers.  Add to a salad, wrap or lettuce wraps for a quick and easy weekday lunch.  By adding turmeric and other spices to quinoa while cooking, they can soak into the grain. Not only do you get a vibrant, bright hue, but also those potent antioxidant, immune supportive and anti-inflammatory phytonutrients. By adding black pepper to turmeric, you can enhance the bioavailability or ability for your body to absorb its potent compound, curcumin.

This dish lends easily to substitutions, so use whatever veggies you have in your fridge!  Add kale, spinach, edamame, mushrooms, carrots, ginger, sky’s the limit!  Quinoa and peas lend healthy plant-based iron, protein and fiber.

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 large onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp turmeric
• black pepper
• sea salt
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 cups frozen organic peas
• 1 cup dry quinoa
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 8 oz vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup parsley
• juice from ½ lemon

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in pot
2. Peel and chop onion and garlic
3. Sautee about 5 minutes until soft and clear, season with pinch of salt
4. Wash, peel and chop sweet potato
5. Add to pot with onions and garlic
6. Cook about 5 minutes then add broth
7. Continue to check and stir, adding broth slowly
8. Cook quinoa in rice cooker or pot on stove as follows
9. Add quinoa, cumin, turmeric, salt, pepper to pot or cooker then water
10. Let cook until soft and fluff with fork, about 20 minutes
11. Scoop into large bowl and let cool
12. Once sweet potatoes are soft, after about 20 minutes, add peas
13. Cook 5 minutes then add quinoa to pot
14. Mix well, garnish with parsley and fresh lemon juice

Yield: Makes 6 servings