This plant-forward entree it chock full of proteins from creamy lentils, quinoa, and almonds, with lots of flavor from herbs and roasted carrots.
I haven’t shared any garden updates recently, but I first want to say that I am SO glad that I have kept up with it! The other day, I had a ton of wild carrots that I needed to use, along with some rainbow chard that grew in better than I had anticipated (bugs love my greens). And with the cooler weather coming in (please?), I thought that this recipe for Roasted Carrots & Creamy Quinoa would be hearty and delicious.
In this dish you will find a protein-rich base of creamy quinoa, thanks to non-dairy milk, mixed with delicious black lentils and fresh chard, then topped with simply-seasoned roasted rainbow carrots and crunchy almonds. The fresh parsley, also from my garden, really adds a pop of flavor and color!
Now, to use some of the MANY serrano and jalapeño peppers that are hanging out in my backyard! I’m definitely going to pickle some, and possibly do another pepper salt, but do you all have any other suggestions? I even left some jalapeños alone long enough to turn red, so that I could make my own chipotle spice. 😀
But, back to this recipe! You’re getting tons of Vitamin K and A from the chard, fiber and magnesium from lentils, beta-carotene from carrots, protein from quinoa, and SO much more! It’s pretty amazing what plants have to offer us, in terms of nutrition. The only thing I was told when I was younger was that they were good for me! But, when you really look at the data, it’s pretty awesome.
Substitutions + Tips:
- Black beluga lentils – I love the size and texture of these lentils, but if you can’t find them near you, green/brown lentils will also work.
- Rainbow carrots – whole, conventional (orange) carrots will also work here, though if they’re quite large you may need to cut them in half lengthwise for roasting.
- Quinoa – if you’d like a nuttier, creamy quinoa, use tricolor or red quinoa.
- Swiss chard – I love this green because it’s a bit savory, but in between spinach and collards in terms of texture. Chopped kale will also work here if that’s what you have on hand!
- Almonds – if you are avoiding nuts, toasted sunflower or pepitas are a good substitute.
Two years: Pumpkin Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast // Three years: Creamy Miso Alfredo // Five years: Mocha Oatmeal
Roasted Carrots & Creamy Quinoa
This hearty and delicious dish of Roasted Carrots & Creamy Quinoa is protein-packed and healthy!
Ingredients
Lentils
- 1/2 cup dry black beluga lentils
- 1 1/2 cups water
- Pinch of salt
Roasted Carrots
- 1 pound rainbow carrots, with green stems intact (optional)
- Spray cooking oil
- Salt & pepper
Creamy Quinoa
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk, divided
- 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups chopped Swiss chard, stems removed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped almonds or almond slivers, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- In a small pot, over medium heat, bring black lentils, water and salt to a boil, cover and lower heat to medium-low, simmering for 35-40 minutes or until they are cooked through but not mushy.
- Wash carrots well and remove extra roots, if necessary. Trim greens off, leaving roughly 2" of stems on (easier for plating and looks cool 😉 ). Spray parchment paper with a light coating of oil, place carrots on top, then coat them lightly with more oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the carrots and place in oven to roast for 25-30 minutes, or until fork tender and beginning to brown.
- While the lentils and carrots are cooking, heat vegetable broth, 3/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, quinoa, onion powder, and garlic powder in a wide pot, over medium heat. Place lid on pot, cracked open so that it doesn't boil over. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to low, simmering for 20-25 minutes or until quinoa is soft.
- Keep cooking and stirring quinoa, adding remaining non-dairy milk 1/4 cup at a time, with pot uncovered. Once the rest of the milk is added and the quinoa has a light creaminess to it, add the cooked lentils to the pot, along with chard and parsley. Turn heat off and stir until chard reduces in size, and is slightly wilted.
- Divide creamy quinoa mixture between four bowls, and top with roasted carrots, almonds and fresh parsley. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 330Unsaturated Fat: 0g
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine. Lastly, posts like this help me to keep this blog and more recipes coming your way.
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www.justbeingbrooklyn.com
Thursday 29th of September 2016
Roasted carrots are one of my favorite foods! This looks so delicious :)
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Jenn
Thursday 29th of September 2016
We grew chard last year in our garden and I couldn't get enough of it. So good!! I couldn't find it anywhere this year. :( This dish looks so good!! Roasted carrots are the bomb...and that creamy lentils and quinoa mixture - yum!
Yarikza Alexander
Thursday 29th of September 2016
You got me at "Roasted Carrots"!!!! They dish looks delicious, thank you for sharing.