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.
Peaches to Apples 