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Pesto Quinoa and Veggies

Servings 4
Author Tiffani

Ingredients

For the pesto...

  • 2/3 cup toasted pine nuts or if you would like to save a buck, use either cashews or a combination of cashews and walnuts
  • 2/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 bunches fresh basil
  • 1/2 cup fresh spinach packed
  • 1/3 cup vegan Parmesan I use Follow Your Heart Parmesan Style Shredded Cheese Alternative, or *nutritional yeast to taste
  • 2 Tbsp garlic minced
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

For everything else...

  • 3 cups cooked quinoa
  • pesto recipe above — you'll use it all
  • 1/2 cup red onion diced small
  • 1 cup white mushrooms diced small
  • 1 cup broccoli chopped into small pieces (I used florets from 1 small head, removing a couple to eat with hummus)
  • 1 cup zucchini, yellow squash, or eggplant (or a mix) diced small (about 1 small zucchini)
  • 1  cup asparagus chopped small (about 3/4 bunch)
  • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes quartered
  • 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts plus, if desired, more for topping
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced
  • olive oil for cooking
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
  • vegan Parmesan (optional) for topping
  • 1 cup fresh spinach (loosely packed) thinly sliced

Instructions

  • Place all pesto ingredients in your food processor and mix until completely blended. Taste and adjust amounts if needed.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium heat and coat with olive oil. Add onion and cook for about 2 - 3 minutes.
  • Add mushrooms and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Next add the broccoli and a 1/2 cup of the pesto and stir. Cook for 2 additional minutes, turning down heat if the sauce starts to burn. Occasionally stir.
  • Add the zucchini, asparagus, and tomato, turning heat back up if it had been previously turned down. Mix in another 1/2 cup pesto. Cook for 4 - 6 minutes, until veggies are soft, or to your desired tenderness.
  • Stir in the quinoa, pine nuts, spinach, and all of the remaining pesto. Cook until spinach is wilted and quinoa is heated through (if it wasn't already hot). This should only take a couple of minutes.
  • Taste, add salt and pepper, and stir well. To serve, scoop into bowls and top with vegan Parmesan and a few more pine nuts, if desired.

Notes

*If using nutritional yeast rather than Parmesan, start by only adding 1 tablespoon and add more to taste.