Tangy Kale and Carrot Quinoa

tangy-kale-and-carrot-quinoa

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from living off meal plan in a dorm room, it’s how to get savvy with the foods and cooking tools available. I could probably count on one hand the number of times I made a meal on an actual stove the past few months, and I can’t wait to move back to somewhere where that’s more convenient.

I haven’t had a chance to run to the store and the day I made this it was pouring outside, so this was truly a winging-it meal made with whatever I had lying around. Quinoa’s a great pantry staple and cooks perfectly in any rice cooker(which is what I cooked this in, although I wrote the recipe for a stove since I figured that’s more common). Add some vegetables and a source of protein and you’ve got a meal.

tangy-kale-and-carrot-quinoa-fork

Another example of ingenuity? The eggs I ate this with were baked, not boiled! I picked that up from this post I found on Pinterest. If you ask me I’d much rather toss eggs in an oven for 30 minutes and get other stuff done than stand over a stove waiting for water to boil. You could also serve this with baked tofu, tempeh, or chicken on top and it’d be just as good. 

Tangy Kale and Carrot Quinoa

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients(Makes 2 servings):

  • 3/4 cup dry quinoa
  • 1 1/2 cup water*
  • 2 cup kale
  • 2 large carrots, shaved into thin strips
  • 2 Tablespoons mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon agave
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

*This is the ratio with water I usually cook my quinoa in. If the brand you’re using tells you to do differently, follow the box’s cooking instructions.

tangy-kale-and-carrot-quinoa-eggs

Method:

  1. Rinse the quinoa and then combine it with the water in a small pot. Cook for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is light and fluffy.
  2. Turn off the heat and add the kale and carrot strips into the pot. Cover with a lid for 5 minutes until the kale and carrots have steamed.
  3. Add in the agave, mustard, and salt and mix everything together. Serve while still hot.

tangy-kale-and-carrot-quinoa-bowl

The agave and mustard aren’t too strong or overpowering but give this just the right amount of flavor to be light and refreshing. Next time I might add toasted cashews and eat this all on its own.

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11 Responses to Tangy Kale and Carrot Quinoa
  1. rebecca lustig
    May 2, 2012 | 1:46 pm

    You have nice nails.

    Also, I like the egg trick

    • Wannabe Chef
      May 2, 2012 | 1:52 pm

      Ahahaha. Thanks for reminding me I need to cut them 🙂

  2. Pure2raw twins
    May 2, 2012 | 7:40 pm

    can you come over and make us this for dinner?? k thanks!

    • Wannabe Chef
      May 2, 2012 | 9:44 pm

      Of course! If you’ll bring the dessert 🙂

  3. Luv What You Do
    May 2, 2012 | 10:36 pm

    I am always happy to find new kale recipes, especialy with farmer’s market season around the corner. I use kale a lot in my winter soups, but don’t always know what to do with it otherwise.
    This looks like a great healthy and filling lunch option!

  4. The Candid RD (Gina)
    May 3, 2012 | 6:55 am

    Minus the agave, this sounds wonderful!! I wonder if I could sub molasses or something?? Agave just messes up my stomach, big time. Or maybe skip it all together?

  5. Amber K
    May 3, 2012 | 12:39 pm

    Totally making this once I can eat real food again! Well, I’ll probably swap spinach in for the kale, but this looks delicious!

  6. elise
    May 10, 2012 | 11:33 am

    baked eggs!! in the oven!! this is brilliant. im so excited to try it now – thanks for the tip 🙂

  7. Mandiee
    June 22, 2012 | 11:31 pm

    I’m going to college in August, so I’d love to hear more about your dorm room eats. Even though I’ll be a freshmen, I will have an apartment with a kitchen. I’ll be pretty busy, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to cook, so easy recipes like this are KEY. How do you work with your meal plan? I’ll have one of those, too.

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    September 3, 2012 | 8:49 am

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