MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA BOWLS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Kalamata olives and feta and roasted red pepper sauce: OH MY.

This is the recipe that I’ve been eating for the last week and a half to keep myself eating something of nutritional value that actually tastes good to my mouth during this crazy End-of-December season. AND it’s the recipe that I am going to leave you with as we transition right into a lil’ break for Christmas!

For those of us who love Mediterranean flavors, the recipe/concept is salty and slightly acidic and bright and fresh, just like any good Greek-type salad bowl situation should be. FEEL THE LOVE, guys. You just sit right on back and feel the love.

This filling rainbow bowl is a mish-mash of quinoa, cucumbers or kale or spinach (fresh or sautéed – we’ve done all combinations and types of greens at our house), feta cheese, kalamata olives, pepperoncini eaten straight out of the jar because they are so salty and delicious I mean say what?  Also red onion, hummus if you like, and basil or any other herbs, really.

Plus we’re adding a dollop of homemade roasted red pepper sauce which is basically EVERYTHING in my life right now.

…to the point where you could and maybe should just skip the bowl of quinoa-packed nutrition the first time around and just visit that roasted red pepper sauce with some thin and crispy rosemary crackers. Ohmygosh. Do it right now. These foods just know how to speak to us on a deep, personal level.

Sweet dedicated readers, I literally only have this one picture for today’s post. Are you a sad/mad about it? Because I am a little sad about it. Honestly – when does that EVER ever happen around here? Not often, but it is happening today because (good news) we have over 200 people that have applied for the Remote Office Managerposition  but (bad news) I DON’T HAVE AN OFFICE MANAGER YET. Which means that hiring for this position is a one-girl operation that is taking quite a bit of time.

So in light of all the things that are taking all the time and those tricky “regular” meals that are landing right in the middle of holiday parties and cookie-fests, I just have one thing to say to all of us: Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls. And/or Extra Roasted Red Pepper Sauce with Crackers.

Merry Christmas, food-loving friends! See you next week!

4.9 from 10 reviews

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MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA BOWLS WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Author: Pinch of Yum

 

INGREDIENTS

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce:

• 1 16 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained (or roast your own red peppers and win the food game!)
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
   Coupons
• juice of one lemon
• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup almonds

For the Mediterranean Bowls (build your own bowls based on what you like)

• cooked quinoa
• spinach, kale, or cucumber
• feta cheese
• kalamata olives
• pepperoncini
• thinly sliced red onion
• hummus
• fresh basil or parsley
• olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pulse all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth. The texture should be thick and textured (see picture).
2. Cook the quinoa according to package directions (I always do mine in a rice cooker while I get everything else ready). When the quinoa is done, build yourself a Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl!
3. Store leftovers in separate containers and assemble each bowl just before serving, especially the greens and the sauces, as those will get soggy when stored with all the other ingredients.

NOTES

For a vegan version, replace the feta cheese with white beans.

Nutrition facts will be dependent on the amounts of each ingredient that you use. I left this recipe pretty open-ended in terms of amounts for each bowl which is why I didn’t include a nutrition label here. For a healthier bowl, obviously, load up on