Roasted Vegetables with Perfect Quinoa - You Have To Try Recipe!

Roasting vegetables in the oven causes their juices to caramelise, and brings out the vegetables’ natural sweetness. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, roasted vegetables often appeal even to the vegetable-reluctant. This recipe is a template, and other vegetables could be substituted or added, such as parsnip, garlic, squash, or cauliflower. Remember the golden rule of vegetables: eat the rainbow! This will make your dish both visually appealing and will ensure you are getting the full range of nutrients.

Nutritionist’s tip: Here we have paired the roasted vegetables with our perfect quinoa, an easy and versatile recipe to have in your cooking repertoire. Quinoa is one of the best plant-based sources of protein, so this stands as a complete meal from a nutritional perspective. But it would also be delicious served with a salmon fillet, or with some feta cheese crumbled on top.

Prep time: 30 min
Cooking time: 60 min
Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into batons
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
• 2 red peppers, core and seeds removed, cut into wedges
• 200 g tenderstem broccoli, trimmed if necessary
• 80 ml olive oil
• A few sprigs of thyme
• 170 g uncooked quinoa - black, white or red, or a mix
• 400 ml water
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C.
2. Place all vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well (you can use your hands), and transfer to a roasting tin or baking sheet, ensuring the vegetables are in a single layer. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the top, and roast for 60 minutes, stirring from time to time.
3. While the vegetables are roasting, prepare the quinoa. Pour the quinoa into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under the kitchen tap. Start by rinsing the quinoa under the kitchen tap. Combine the quinoa, water and a large pinch of salt in a pan that has a lid, and bring to a boil on the hob. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes until all of the water has been absorbed by the quinoa.
4. Take the pan off the heat. Place several sheets of kitchen paper, or a tea towel, under the lid to absorb any excess moisture, and allow to rest for 5 minutes (or until the vegetables are ready).
5. Fluff with a fork, then transfer to a serving dish. Top with the roasted vegetables.