Oil Free Spicy Mesquite Veggies Over Quinoa

Spicy Mesquite Veggies Over Quinoa

This is a variation on a theme. Its very close to my previous recipe but plates nicely and doesn't look like Halloween.  Here's what you will need:

3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 1 onion, 4 cloves garlic, 2 stalks kale, 2 handfuls baby spinach, 2 generous handfuls of snap peas in the pods, 28 oz diced tomatoes, 4 TBS of capers,  2 TBS chili powder, 1 TBS cumin, 2 TBS paprika, 4 TBS mesquite seasoning, 1 TBS cayenne pepper ,  1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup quinoa, 4 cups water, 1 TBS basil. 

Put 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups of water with the salt and basil in a pot, bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmering boil, cover and cook for 15 minutes.  Remove from the heat and keep it covered. Put it to the side.

Chop up the veggies in large pieces. Save 2 TBS of the mesquite seasoning for later.

In a large pot bring 2 cups of water to a boil with a little salt, add the diced tomatoes and everything else. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to let it simmer covered for an hour, stirring it occasionally until most of the  liquids are absorbed or boil off. Add salt to taste. 

In a 2.5 cup Ziploc or Tupperware container sprinkle some mesquite seasoning to cover the bottom.  Add a layer of the cooked veggies about an inch thick and then an equal thickness of the quinoa over that.  Pack it down a little.  Cover and let it sit over night.

When you are ready to serve, put a plate over your container and turn it upside down so that now the quinoa is on the bottom and the mesquite is on the top.  I heated it in a microwave for 3 minutes at power level 9.

I had this for lunch and shared some.  It was a hit!  Try it, you'll like it!

Enjoy.