Quinoa, tenderstem broccoli and almonds

Serves 2 ● Prep Time 10 Mins ● Cooking Time 20 Mins
If you haven’t yet familiarised yourself with quinoa, it’s a lovely mild seed that is a great source of protein. Now grown in Britain, it can be used to bulk out meals or put centre stage to increase the protein content of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Unlike rice or couscous, which can both be high in carbohydrates and not much else, quinoa packs a nutritional punch whilst being filling and providing a neutral base for most dishes. Like rice, it doesn’t taste of much, requiring the addition of spices and other flavours to give it oomp. Luckily it can be made delicious with this combination of cyder vinegar with honey, spring onions, garlic and chilli. This dish is akin to a fried rice but with way more flavour and tonnes of nutrients.
method

150g of quinoa (already cooked according to packed instructions)

85g of almonds 

150g of tenderstem broccoli

3 spring onions, sliced 

1 red chilli, sliced (seeds removed for a milder taste)

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds

2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil 

3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce 

3 tablespoons of apple cyder vinegar with honey

freshly ground black pepper to season 

  1. Cook the quinoa according to packed instructions.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and roast the almonds on a small roasting tray for 10 minutes to give it some crunch. Set aside to cool. 
  3. Bring a pan of water to the boil, drop in the broccoli, allow the pan to come back to boiling then drain immediately. Leave the broccoli in the colander and let it steam off. This will make it more tender without losing many of the nutrients. 
  4. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. 
  5. Add the garlic, cumin and thyme leaves and cook for a minute. 
  6. Tip in the quinoa, season well with freshly ground black pepper and cook for a further minute. 
  7. Pour in the tamari or soy sauce and cyder vinegar with honey and stir well. Add the sliced spring onion and chilli and tenderstem, season again with more black pepper and give it a good stir to combine. 
  8. To serve, divide between two bowls and top with almonds.
ingredients

150g of quinoa (already cooked according to packed instructions)

85g of almonds 

150g of tenderstem broccoli

3 spring onions, sliced 

1 red chilli, sliced (seeds removed for a milder taste)

1 teaspoon of cumin seeds

2 teaspoons of fresh thyme leaves 

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil 

3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce 

3 tablespoons of apple cyder vinegar with honey

freshly ground black pepper to season 

method
  1. Cook the quinoa according to packed instructions.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180ºC and roast the almonds on a small roasting tray for 10 minutes to give it some crunch. Set aside to cool. 
  3. Bring a pan of water to the boil, drop in the broccoli, allow the pan to come back to boiling then drain immediately. Leave the broccoli in the colander and let it steam off. This will make it more tender without losing many of the nutrients. 
  4. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. 
  5. Add the garlic, cumin and thyme leaves and cook for a minute. 
  6. Tip in the quinoa, season well with freshly ground black pepper and cook for a further minute. 
  7. Pour in the tamari or soy sauce and cyder vinegar with honey and stir well. Add the sliced spring onion and chilli and tenderstem, season again with more black pepper and give it a good stir to combine. 
  8. To serve, divide between two bowls and top with almonds.