pickled vegetables salad

Salad is probably the last thing you truly want to have in the middle of the winter, but this Pickled Vegetables Salad features roasted home-pickled cauliflower, so there is a warming element to the meal.

I originally served this with Smoky Seitan, but when I cut the Prep Ahead Week 3 menu from 7 to 5 days, I also cut the seitan. I think the salad is just great with or without it, so I am including it here, just in case you'd like to make it with seitan, too.

The salad doesn't just have roasted pickled cauliflower, it also features quinoa, greens and a bean salad filled with celery, olives, roasted bell peppers, and cannellini beans. The dressing for the bean salad can be made with yogurt or with oil.

Serve this salad as is, or toast some slices of French bread and rub them with a large clove of garlic. If nothing else, this is a very unique salad to enjoy in the middle of winter.

Pickled Vegetables Salad

Makes 4 servings

Cauliflower Ingredients:

1/2 cup vinegar, white wine or other

3 cups water

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh oregano

2 teaspoons salt

2 pounds cauliflower

1 cup chopped seitan (optional)

Bean Salad Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

1 (16-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

1 cup green olives, chopped

1/4 cups olive oil or unsweetened plain nondairy yogurt

2 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can cooked cannellini beans 

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well

2 heads Romaine lettuce, chopped

1. For the cauliflower: Combine the vinegar, water, bay leaf, sprigs of oregano, and salt  in a medium pot. Bring to boil. Break the cauliflower into florets. Add to the pot. Cook, covered, low  

until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of brine to cool and set aside. Drain the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower to a baking sheet. Add the chopped saiten. Broil until golden, about 10 minutes. Spray with oil, if desired. Remove and discard the bay leaf and oregano stalks.

2. For the bean salad: Add the celery to a medium bowl. Add the red peppers, the olives, the olive oil or yogurt, the reserved brine and the beans. Mix and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. For the quinoa: Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, cover, reduce to simmer and cook 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside (still covered) for 10 minutes. 

4. Serve the salad: place romaine lettuce in a bowl, top with quinoa, top with bean salad and finally with the roasted cauliflower.

© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

pantry+ zucchini satay with spicy lime sauce and quinoa

It's been a hectic week! My son and his partner just moved up to Berkeley, where he is finishing up his bachelor's in film; he is graduating this coming May! Look out for his work - he is the next hit film director.

My girls just returned from Europe (they paid for it all, btw - we have college budget, not traveling budget!) after a month long stay and they have college starting this month, too.

I just sent in the final draft to my new cookbook Aquafaba: Sweet and Savory Vegan Recipes Made Egg-Free With the Magic of Bean Water (Amazon, B&N). It is coming out in October. I don't know how much of a mess I'll be getting myself into, but I've also committed to creating a YouTube channel for aquafaba. :}

As you can see, we are as busy as the next family! In that vein, here is an easy and fast recipe that you can throw together using only 4 pantry items and 5 fresh/non-pantry items!

Zucchini Satay with Spicy Lime Sauce and Quinoa.

Equipment:
Very fine mesh strainer
Blender (optional)
Bowl
Medium Pot
Skillet or grill pan

Pantry ingredients are:
Reduced-sodium tamari
Vegetable broth
Sriracha
Sugar (optional)

Fresh ingredients are:
Lime
Zucchini
Cilantro
Quinoa
Nut/Seed Butter

There is a story behind that empty Sriracha bottle that I will be sharing with you soon. Hint: Sriracha comes in a plastic bottle (at least the ones I can find here do).

This dish is simple and quick enough, but you have to get the quinoa cooking right away because it takes about 30 minutes to make. After rinsing it, add it to the already warming broth and cook for 15 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat and set aside to steam for 10 minutes.

In the meantime, add the marinade ingredients [butter (peanut or sunflower seed), lime juice, tamari, broth, sriracha and sugar (if needed)] to a blender and process until smooth. You can even do that using just a whisk and a bowl, but your butter has to be soft enough to whip easily.

Cut the zucchini into 1-inch thick pieces and thread onto skewers (or not; it can be a hassle, but it makes a great presentation).

Cover with the sauce and set aside while you heat up your skillet or grill pan (preferably cast iron).

Then just grill or cook in the pan until tender and golden. Serve it with the fluffed quinoa, the rest of the sauce and garnish with the remaining cilantro. The zucchini takes about 10 to 13 minutes to cook based on the size you cut it. I cut it to 1-inch thickness so I would have less zucchini to thread onto skewers. If you cut them thinner, just cook it for less time.

Before I give you the recipe, Susan Smoaks, please contact me about you winning the Jazzy Vegetarian DVD set. If you don't contact me by Tuesday I will have to pick another winner. Thanks!

Zucchini Satay with Spicy Lime Sauce and Quinoa 
Makes 4 servings
Pantry list is HERE.

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (retain zest for garnish)
1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari
3 tablespoons peanut or sunflower seed butter
2 to 4 tablespoons sriracha
2 tablespoons vegetable broth
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
4 small to medium zucchinis
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Quinoa: add the broth to a medium pot and bring to a boil. In the meantime, rinse the quinoa very well and add it, and the salt, to the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce to medium-low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside, still covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add a few tablespoons of chopped cilantro to the quinoa. 
2. Satay: Combine the lime juice, tamari, butter, sriracha, broth, and sugar (if using - taste and add to the sauce if needed) in a small blender. Blend until smooth. 
3. Cut the zucchini into 1-inch pieces and thread onto skewers that will fit comfortably in your skillet. Place the skewers of zucchini on a platter and cover with the sauce. Heat a cast iron skillet or grill pan over medium heat until hot. Add the skewers and cook 5 minutes on each side until tender; baste the zucchini every few minutes or so. Season with salt and black pepper. 
4. Serve the quinoa with the satay, the remaining sauce and garnish with the remaining cilantro.


© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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veganmofo - seasonal + spinach salad + giveaway

#vgnmf15 Day 22 is all about seasonal produce and making such seasonal offerings into a dish.

I offer up my Spinach Salad Bowl with Fennel, Quinoa and Warm Pecan Dressing.

The seasonal produce for this dish is spinach, fennel and oranges (and pecans. Pecans count, right?). It also happens to be another recipe from my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N), and I got permission to share the recipe with you!

Speaking of which, Vegan Bowls is celebrating its FIRST WEEK ANNIVERSARY! I think that means party time - don't you?! Yup, that means a blog tour and giveaways!


Vegan Street  and Here September 25
It's Got Vegan In It  September 22
Veg Kitchen  September 23
Healthy Slow Cooking  September 24
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen  September 25
Chic Vegan  September 28
Global Vegan Kitchen  September 29  (giveaway - ends October 5)
Good Good Things  October 1
Kelli's Vegan Kitchen  October 2  (giveaway - ends October 11)
The Taste Space October 6  (giveaway - ends October 20)
Glue and Glitter  October 6
The Food Duo  October 7  (giveaway - ends October 29)
Vegan Eats and Treats  October 8 (giveaway - ends October 15)
Vegan Crunk October 8
Julie Hasson  October 9  (giveaway - ends October 15) 
Heather Nicholds  October 9 (giveaway - ends October 14)

Since I am sharing a salad bowl recipe with you, why not look at the Salad Chapter of Vegan Bowls? 

You can see the entire recipe list for Vegan Bowls HERE.

Let's start with a giveaway on this blog, since I am probably the most excited! The winner will be chosen next Monday night at midnight, September 28.  Enter below for your chance to win a copy! To be eligible to win you must be following this blog via email or RSS feed (link). Contest is open to US residents only. Good luck!

Spinach Salad Bowl with Warm Pecan Dressing
SERVES 4 
This is a spin on spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. This salad is filled with shaved fennel, perfectly cooked quinoa, and candied pecans. The warm orange-pecan dressing ties all the flavors together and delivers a delicious, filling salad. (Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)


QUINOA
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

DRESSING
1 cup raw pecan pieces
5 tablespoons fresh orange juice, divided
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup, divided
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable broth

SALAD
8 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach (about 2 bunches, tough stems removed)
1 cup shaved fennel (about 1 small bulb) 

QUINOA: Combine the quinoa, broth, garlic, and salt in a small saucepan. Cover, bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium- low heat, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

DRESSING: Toast the nuts in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer half of the nuts to a small blender. Add 2 tablespoons juice and 1 teaspoon maple syrup to the nuts in the skillet. Cook until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Transfer the glazed nuts to a parchment paper and set aside to cool. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of juice, 1 teaspoon maple syrup, oil, vinegar, and broth to the blender. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. When ready to serve, warm the dressing in the small skillet and add about half of the warm dressing to a large bowl.

SALAD: Add the spinach and fennel and toss. To serve, divide the salad and quinoa among wide bowls and serve with the remaining dressing. Alternatively, toss the salad with the quinoa and serve with the remaining dressing.



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veganmofo - q&e + thai panang curry bowl

Our prompt for day 3 of veganmofo is quick, easy and delicious.

Right away I knew which recipe I would post!

Panang Curry is our whole family's favorite Thai dish, I kid you not! To think that you can make this curry dish in less than 30 minutes is awesome - but to make the dish into a complete meal is even better, and the icing on the cake.

This recipe appears in Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N), but I couldn't help but share it with you today!

Basically, Thai curry is coconut milk that is cooked into curry paste. The paste can be made of green curry (using fresh green chilies) or  red curry (using dried red chilies). Panang uses red curry paste with the addition of peanut butter.

Because I am aware that red curry paste is difficult to find vegan (some have shrimp or fish sauce), or when found, a little bottle is sold at an outrageous price, I have included a wonderful, fragrant and most of all, easy, Red Curry Paste in Vegan Bowls.

In addition to being easy and delicious, the Red Curry Paste I offer is low in heat. Using more dried Anaheim peppers (a.k.a California chilies) than small red hot chilies is the key to adjusting the heat level of the paste, and, in turn, the heat level of the curry. Not everyone loves a lot of spice, and my recipe offers great flexibility in that department.

The recipe below uses store-bought curry paste, but if you get the book, you will also receive your very own curry paste recipe.

Enjoy this easy and simple vegan bowl!

Thai Panang Curry Bowl
SERVES 4 
This is such a simple recipe that it almost feels like cheating. In addition to being quick, this curry is super flexible; use any variety of vegetables that you please. (Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)


QUINOA
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup green peas, thawed if frozen

CURRY
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, divided
3 tablespoons red curry paste 
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 (2-lobed) kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
5 cups coarsely chopped vegetables (carrot, winter squash, summer squash, green beans)
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup Thai basil or Genoese basil

SOY-FREE OPTION: Substitute coconut aminos and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt for the tamari.

QUINOA: Heat the quinoa, broth, garlic and salt in a small saucepan. Cover, bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium-low heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and add peas before serving.

CURRY: Heat 1/4 cup coconut milk in a large pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook until the milk reduces a bit, about 1 minute. Add another 1/4 cup of the milk and the peanut butter and cook for another minute. Add the remaining milk, the lime leaves, tamari, and 1/4 cup of water. Add the tough vegetables (carrot, winter squash) and cook for 4 minutes. Add the soft vegetables (summer squash, green beans) and simmer over medium until the vegetables are tender. Add the bell pepper and cook until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Add more water if the curry is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the curry and quinoa among 4 bowls. Garnish with the basil.

roasted zucchini and mushroom pilaf bowl from "vegan bowls" + #1

These are a few of my favorite things...about Vegan Bowls:

Over the next few weeks, I will share with you my most favorite aspects of my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N).

#1. 
This first aspect simply has to be at the top of my list. You might think that number one is how wonderful the recipes are (which they are!) or how fast a complete meal can be to make (which it can be!), but, in fact, it is a simple thing that a lot of modern cookbooks don't have: no cross-referencing recipes.

There are no recipes within recipes, except for convenience ingredients such as seitan and curry paste.

That is correct - you can cook a complete meal without having to prepare another recipe first. It really bears repeating:

Complete meals without the need for secondary recipes.

I own my share of super amazing cookbooks, written by some super amazing authors, but the nitty-gritty is that either recipes-within-recipes are required or the recipes themselves are not complete meals unto themselves.

Certainly, a few exceptions are of note, such as dinner salads, a few casseroles and soups, but even then, most need supplemental components to make them a complete meal.

I took great care in making sure that all the recipes in this volume are stand-alone and need no other sub-recipes.

Of course, for your convenience, I have included a few basic recipes for ease, economy and superior flavor, but no basic recipe is a "requirement" for making any of the bowls in the book.

While I include recipes for seitan, vegetable broth, red curry paste and tortillas, they can be store-bought and need not be home-made.

I know how important it is to see the Table of Contents of cookbooks before you purchase one, therefore, over the next few weeks I will be sharing the contents of Vegan Bowls with you, chapter by chapter. Below is the content of the grains chapter:

Today I am sharing with you the recipe for one of my favorite bowls in book: Roasted Zucchini and Mushroom Pilaf Bowl. Pilaf has been one of my favorite dishes ever since my younger days working at Baker's Square Restaurant where they had a delicious pilaf recipe.

Naturally, with age and wisdom you realize that that particular pilaf wasn't quite up to snuff and, indeed, a lot of improvement was possible.

With this recipe, I bring you all the love I have for the pilaf, with the addition of some knock-down great flavor -- again, all in a complete bowl. I highly recommend using a toaster oven for the vegetables, if you have one; it keeps the kitchen cooler in the summer.

Hope you enjoy!

oh! If you haven't already entered or own Kittee Berns' fabulous Ethiopian cookbook, Teff Love, enter to win a copy HERE.

Roasted Zucchini and Mushroom Pilaf Bowl

SERVES 4

It is no surprise that I love to roast vegetables; it always seems to bring out the best in produce. In this recipe, zucchini and mushrooms are roasted to perfection and stirred into a quinoa pilaf that is accented with scallions and arugula. . (Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)

ROAST

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

4 garlic cloves, minced

8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into 3/4-inch slices

1 cup corn kernels, thawed and drained if frozen

QUINOA

1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup quinoa, well rinsed

2 garlic cloves, crushed

PASTA

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup orzo

2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

GREENS

3 cups baby arugula or watercress

2 scallions, minced

1/2 to 1 serrano chile, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

ROAST: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the oil, salt and garlic on a baking sheet. Add the mushroom, zucchini, and corn. Mix well and bake until tender and roasted, about 20 minutes, stirring midway through cooking time. If you have more time, roast until the corn is golden, an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Keep warm.

QUINOA: Heat the broth, salt, quinoa and garlic in a large pot. Cover, bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Fluff with fork and set aside.

PASTA: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Add the water and salt and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain and set aside.

GREENS: Add the orzo to the cooked quinoa. Add the roasted vegetables to the quinoa. Add the arugula, scallions, serrano and lemon juice. Stir well, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper.

mexican-flare quinoa bowl

With my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N) coming out in a few short months, I'm again craving more bowl foods. As you can imagine, after months of bowls for breakfast, lunch and dinner during recipe development and testing, we needed a bit of a break from the bowl foods, but that didn't last too long.

Bowls are convenient, easy and balanced, which is part of their appeal when dinner rolls around. Who wants to think about what to serve with a protein to make it a complete meal, when that is exactly what bowl food is all about?

Since I cooked up a batch of black beans earlier in the week, the next most obvious application for the legume was a Tex-Mex meal.

This bowl is full of Mexican flare, including roasted corn, fajita vegetables, avocado and a salsa sauce. The quinoa is dotted with spinach, adding more nutrition and flavor. Serve this bowl with tortilla chips and dig in.

Mexican-flare Quinoa Bowl

Serves 4

Quinoa:

2 ¼ vegetable broth

1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed well

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed

Vegetables:

3 cups corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Beans:

3 cups black beans
1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried oregano

Sauce:

¾ cups salsa

¼ cup vegan mayonnaise

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Garnish:

Avocado, slices

Cilantro leaves

Tortilla chips

1. Quinoa: Heat the broth in a medium pan over high heat. Bring to boil, add the quinoa and salt, cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and steam for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and stir in the chopped spinach. Return to medium heat and cook until the spinach is heated through.

2. Vegetables: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn and cook until golden, about 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside in a bowl. Add the oil to the skillet and stir in the bell pepper and onion. Season with the garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the onion is lightly caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside in the bowl.

3. Beans: Add the beans to the skillet. Season with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and black pepper, to taste, and cook until the beans are heated through, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

4. Sauce: Combine the salsa, mayo and lime juice in a small blender. Blend until smooth and transfer to a small pan. Heat over medium heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes.

5. Assembly: Layer the quinoa in the bottom of the bowl, topping with roasted corn, sauteed vegetables, beans and avocado and cilantro. Serve with the sauce and tortilla chips.

© 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

grilled artichoke and quinoa lettuce wraps

It must be spring because I am getting a ton of artichokes in my produce box.

There are many ways to prepare artichokes including steaming, boiling, braising, roasting and grilling. The simplest is to cook them and peel off the leaves, dipping them in warm vegan Hollandaise sauce, the method preferred over all others by the Dever clan. I don't really argue with them since this requires the least prep work on my part.

For better or worse, my box has been so laden with fresh artichokes that we have finally reached the limit of the simple way to eat them; no longer will dipping the leaves and the artichoke hearts in a sauce suffice. The family needed something different.

Here is a good tutorial on how to clean artichokes. After you clean them of the choke, boil them and grill them, as directed in the recipe. If you don't have an abundance of fresh artichokes, don't have the time or the patience to clean them yourself, but you'd still like to make this otherwise fast recipe, use jarred artichoke hearts. I won't tell.

This wrap is made with quinoa, spring onions (or scallions) and lemons, all within the spring theme. If you want to know how to cook quinoa perfectly (and not have to use a microwave ;), it is all spelled out in my upcoming cookbook, Everyday Vegan Eats.

Happy Spring everyone!

GRILLED ARTICHOKE AND QUINOA LETTUCE WRAPS PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

And if you haven't entered the giveaway for Robin Robertson's revised edition of Vegan Planet, do so right HERE. Unless you already have the book, why not? It's an amazing volume that has stood the test of time, now with revised recipes as well as 50 new ones. Contest ends April 11.

Also, be sure to let your friends and family know that the great Meatout is March 20th (tomorrow!). Eat vegan for one day and help the animals and the planet. Pledge HERE.

quinoa-corn chowder

This recipe was from Viva Vegan! by Teri Hope Romero. It has been a little while since I've hit this cookbook, and the idea of quinoa in a chowder was appealing. Quinoa "grain" is not really a grain, since it is not a grass, but in fact is the seed of the plant that has been cultivated for over 4,000 years in South America. While the greens of the quinoa plant are also edible, the seeds are what is most available to us.

Quinoa also happens to be a complete protein.

While quinoa can be intimidating to cook the first few times, get yourself a bag and start cooking with it. The ratio of water to quinoa is easy:

1 part quinoa, 2 parts water, cook 20 minutes.
Make sure to rinse the quinoa well before cooking it.

If the quinoa is added to a stew or a soup, it is even simpler since I've yet to overcook quinoa, unlike rice, which is too easy to overcook.

The Quinoa-Corn 'Chowder' I made from Teri's book was very easy to make and delicious. To top it all off, she recommended I add avocado to it.

It's like she read my mind...

Cost Breakdown

garlic, onion, spices: $1

red quinoa: $.75

aji (pepper paste, homemade): $.50

potato, corn: $1.50

beans: $2

tomatoes: $1

non-dairy milk: $1

Total to make 6 servings:

$7.75

Aji Paste Recipe

butternut squash and quinoa

Has everyone been inundated with winter squash in their CSA, yet? I have. There is only so much squash soup one can enjoy, and there are only so many kinds of squash soup that are enjoyable. At least for my family.

What to do? I felt like the Sorting Hat when it was trying to decide what house to put Harry in.

To add difficulty to hardship, cookbooks don't exactly burst with winter squash recipes.

Here is my take on my Squash of the Week. Incorporating kale, another cold-weather produce item, I roasted the squash and then mashed it up with a little plant milk. Whipping it into a thick puree, I simply seasoned it with a little salt and pepper.

I topped that with steamed kale, sauteed with a little minced garlic and crushed red pepper. For the protein punch, I cooked some quinoa (1 c quinoa, 2 c water, cook 20 minutes) with a little smoked paprika and salt and pepper. I also pan-seared some tofu slices, just simply seasoning them again with salt and pepper, but this is totally optional since the quinoa is a complete protein. Lastly, since butternut squash is sweet, I accented the sweetness with some caramelized onions.

The squash bakes, the quinoa cooks and the onions caramelize in about the same time, 20 minutes, so this is a quick meal. The last thing to do is steam or pan-sear the kale and the tofu, if using it.

Cost Breakdown:

quinoa: $1

kale: $2

tofu: $2

squash: $2

garlic, spices, onion: $1

Total to make 4 servings:

$8.00