Seeing the quinoa pesto mix at Trader Joe’s (basically a pesto sauce with quinoa mixed in for texture), I realized there might be something to a pesto sauced quinoa bowl.  Now, this sauce has been around for about 5 years…yet I just came up with this idea.  I don’t know what to tell you; sometimes genius takes time.

While the quinoa was going in the rice cooker, I cooked all the other ingredients.  I cubed tofu and sautéed it in olive oil, seasoned with sumac, red pepper flakes, salt, garlic, and balsamic vinegar.  When that was done, I set it aside and used the same pan to cook [largely] chopped cremini mushrooms and fresh spinach.  Load up the bowl of quinoa with the mushrooms/spinach/tofu, then top with sundried tomato pesto and fresh grated parmesan.

The mushrooms are super meaty so this will still feel like a full meal, even though it’s vegetarian.  Love the salty nutty flavor of the parm that just adds to the pesto flavor.  Healthy, easy, and tasty.  Works for me.