There’s nothing worse than sitting down after a long day to a wonderful meal you just cooked, only to realize that your work isn’t done yet. DISHES.

Honestly, one of least favorite tasks in the world. Luckily I have this great guy named Matt who lets me cook up a storm and then cleans up after me. I think we all need a Matt.

But even Matt gets tired and doesn’t feel like cleaning up my tornado of dinner dishes every night. He’ll begrudgingly wash while complaining under his breath that I’m a messy cook. Fair enough. Which is why when we whip up meals that only require one pot, like this mediterranean quinoa, Matt’s a happy camper.

This one-pot meal has it all. Healthy fats, dark leafy greens, filling fiber, plant-based protein and TONS of great flavor.

It starts by simply sautéing some garlic, shallots and red pepper flakes in a teeny bit of olive oil. Then you add in your spices, some white quinoa, some olives and some chopped sun dried tomatoes and then you just leave the whole thing to cook for about 20 minutes. When its’ done, the quinoa will be fluffy, the pot will be fragrant and you’ll just stir in your spinach and chickpeas.

AND DONE.

Not only is this dish colorful and vibrant, it’s one of those “salads” that gets better with age. That sounds strange, but I actually found that the longer this sat and marinated, the more pronounced the flavor.

Here’s what we did:

I tested the recipe at home during the day. Tasted it a few times as I was plating it for pictures, but put the rest of it away to save for dinner that night. I put it in one of my glass food storage containers (I have these), then pulled it out for dinner and served it cold over some greens and shredded cabbage. It was delish! The olives make it a little briny, while the tomatoes give it some sweetness and the red pepper flakes just a touch of heat. It’s balanced in both flavor and texture too.

Not to mention, it’s the perfect meal to make when you really don’t feel like doing the dishes

4.5 from 2 reviews

One-Pot Mediterranean Quinoa with Spinach + Chickpeas

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

Author: Alyssa Rimmer

Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 cup sliced green olives
• ½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup water (or more broth)
• 1 cup spinach, chopped
• 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas
• Salt + pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, shallots and pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add thyme and dill and cook for another 30 seconds or so.
2. To the saucepan, add quinoa, olives and sun dried tomatoes. Stir continuously for 15 - 30 seconds. Add liquids, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to simmer for 20 - 25 minutes until liquid has been absorbed.
3. Remove lid and stir in spinach and chickpeas. Let sit for a few minutes to allow spinach time to wilt. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

3.5.3208

For this recipe, I used:

Stainless Steel Saucepan, Organic White Quinoa, Green Olives, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Organic Chickpeas

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