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    Pantry Staples That Do it All: Quinoa

    Jan 8, 2022 · Leave a Comment

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    One of my most-used pantry staples is quinoa! It's a nutritious, versatile addition to a huge variety of recipes, and my Quinoa Recipe Roundup will show you all the ways you can use this complete protein to add delicious substance to your meals.

    Quinoa Recipe Roundup

    One of my main pantry staples in quinoa. It's inexpensive, easy to store and prepare, and since it absorbs flavor wonderfully, it's also really versatile. It also adds a great, fluffy texture to many of my favorite dishes! A big part of my Weekly Vegan Meal Prep is preparing as much quinoa as possible, since I know I'll be using it to mix into salads, as a base for veggie bowls, and even as an ingredient in sweeter energy bites. I usually buy quinoa in bulk because we use it so quickly! This post is a full Quinoa Recipe Roundup, starting with the quick and easy ways I prepare quinoa to be added into my favorite recipes throughout the week.

    • How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa
    • How to Make Perfectly Cooked Quinoa in the Instant Pot
    • Quinoa Cauliflower "Rice"
    Plant-Based Gluten-Free Meal Prep: Foods I Make Every Week!
    Perfect and Easy Instant Pot Quinoa

    All About Quinoa

    Fun fact: quinoa has more protein than any other grain! Quinoa is also loaded with fiber (one serving has over 5 grams) and is considered a complete protein with all eight essential amino acids.  This makes it a great source of plant-based protein for vegans. Quinoa is also a good source of folate, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and many phytochemicals.  It offers important minerals such as calcium, potassium, copper and zinc. I'm so excited for this Quinoa Recipe Roundup to show you all the ways you can add it into your diet!

    Fall Apple Quinoa Salad
    Blueberry and Beet Salad
    Fall Apple Salad

    Fall & Winter Quinoa Salads

    Quinoa is one of the best ways to add nutrition and bulk to a salad! I love using quinoa to turn a bowl of veggies into a filling, satisfying meal. The salads in this Quinoa Recipe Roundup combine sweet and savory flavors with seasonal fall and winter produce to create dishes that are so, so enjoyable.

    • Maple Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Quinoa Salad
    • Plant-Powered Fall Quinoa & Arugula Salad with Apples and Figs
    • Spinach Quinoa Beet Salad with Roasted Blueberry Vinaigrette
    • Spiralized Radish & Arugula Salad with Quinoa, Hemp Seeds & Pepitas
    • Pecan-Encrusted Delicata Squash & Kale Salad
    • One Pot Sweet-and-Spiced Quinoa Lentil Salad
    • Vegan Protein Kale Salad
    Simple Summer Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Dressing

    Spring & Summer Quinoa Salads

    Prepping quinoa makes it SO easy to add it into salads like these spring and summer ones! I store it in the fridge and add a scoop or two to pretty much any meal I make, especially when I'm feeling extra hungry and want a dish that will keep me full for a while. These salads are my favorites for the warmer months; they're bright and refreshing with seasonal produce!

    • Simple Summer Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
    • Mango-Avocado Quinoa Salad with Toasted Pepitas
    • Berry-Cherry Quinoa Salad with Candied Walnuts
    • Watermelon Arugula Mason Jar Salad with Quinoa, Avocado, and Pine Nuts
    • Crispy Quinoa & Avocado Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
    • Protein-Packed Slaw with Cilantro and Lime
    • Jennifer Aniston Viral Tik Tok "Perfect Salad"
    Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
    Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

    Mediterranean Food with Quinoa

    I LOVE Mediterranean food. It's filled with produce, legumes, and whole grains, and you know I love any cuisine that includes my Quick & Easy Creamy Hummus! These dishes use fresh and bright cucumbers, protein-filled chickpeas, flavorful red onion, and I love topping Mediterranean dishes with VioLife or Trader Joe's vegan feta!

    • Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Salad
    • Vegan Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl
    • Crispy Quinoa Falafel Bowls
    • Mediterranean Zucchini Noodle Salad
    Easy Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad
    Vegetarian Enchilada Stuffed Bell Peppers
    One-Pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans

    Mexican Food with Quinoa

    Mexican food is a really versatile option for vegans. I love that I can include black beans and quinoa for plant-based protein, and the veggies are all so bright and colorful! The Mexican Quinoa Salad is my go-to lunch and I make it almost every week. It's so flavorful and satisfying!

    • Easy Vegan Mexican Quinoa Salad
    • Mexican Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Avocado
    • Crispy Vegan Mexican Casserole with Black Beans & Quinoa
    • One-Pan Mexican Quinoa and Black Beans
    • Vegan Enchilada-Stuffed Bell Peppers
    Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma Quinoa Bowl Recipe
    Quinoa-Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
    Grilled Avocados with Quinoa Mango Cilantro Salad Drizzled with Sour Cream

    Quinoa Dinners

    The dinners in this Quinoa Recipe Roundup are so good, just listing them out made me hungry! I probably include quinoa in one meal a day, and most of the time it's dinner. Every one of these recipes uses quinoa as a base for substance and nutrition, and then layers on tasty flavors to spice it up and get you looking forward to dinner all day long.

    • Vegan Cauliflower Chickpea Shawarma Bowl
    • Quinoa-Pecan Stuffed Acorn Squash
    • Quinoa & Mango-Stuffed Grilled Avocado
    • Grillable Quinoa Black Bean Veggie Burger
    • Roasted Beet Noodles Over Quinoa with Parsley-Pesto
    • Quick & Easy One-Pot Curried Quinoa & Chickpeas
    • Roasted Veggies & Crispy Chickpeas Over Quinoa
    Sweet Potato Quinoa Tots
    Gluten-Free Quinoa Stuffing
    Quinoa Minestrone Soup

    Quinoa Side Dishes

    I think most people consider quinoa a side dish by itself, but I think it's best when mixed into recipes that make it a bit more exciting! My Sweet Potato Quinoa Tots are an absolute favorite of my kids, and I love using my Quinoa Stuffing as a gluten-free and vegan option for Thanksgiving.

    • Vegan Sweet Potato Quinoa Tots
    • Quinoa Stuffing
    • Quinoa Minestrone Soup
    No-Bake Vegan Fudgy Quinoa Chia Bites

    Energy Bites Made with Quinoa

    This might be the most unexpected way that I use quinoa! Quinoa adds awesome texture and structure to these bite recipes, and since it absorbs flavor, it works as well with the sweeter flavors as it does with savory ones! Meal prepping a ton of quinoa at the beginning of the week makes it really easy to grab a scoop to add into these recipes.

    • No-Bake Quinoa Energy Bites
    • No-Bake Fudgy Quinoa Chia Bites
    How to Use Quinoa in Salad

    I hope this post inspires you to use quinoa in new and interesting ways! Remember to post about your kitchen adventures and tag me on Instagram so I can cheer you on. You can also subscribe to my newsletter to get weekly cooking inspiration right in your inbox, along with a free download that has 10 Easy Vegan Dinners!

    More Vegan Cooking Resources

    • The Pantry Staple That Does It All: Over 30 Recipes with Chickpeas!
    • Seasonal vegan and gluten-free meal plans: Fall Meal Plan, Spring Meal Plan, Summer Meal Plan, Winter Meal Plan
    • My Vegan & Gluten-Free Pantry Staples
    • Our Family Weekly Meal Plan, My Weekly Meal Plan, and Combat the Nightly “What’s for Dinner?”
    • My Ultimate Guide: Gluten-Free Product Recommendations & Helpful Resources
    • My Favorite Dairy-Free Swaps
    • Nourish in the New Year: 135+ Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipes

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