Oven Roasted Veggies Over Quinoa (Vegan)

This week for lunch... Oven Roasted Veggies Over Quinoa.  Some folks might not like the idea of eating the same meal all week long but when I drag my behind out of bed every day in an effort go get to work on time at 6:00 a.m., I am feeling pretty darn smart that I did a good job preparing and packing up a week's-worth-of-lunches before the work week started.  This week... a vegan meal full of protein, vitamins, and texture.  I found the broccoli and garbanzo beans are the "stars" in this combination.  Another week, I might make this with just quinoa, broccoli, and garbanzo beans.

Oven Roasted Veggies Over Quinoa

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1 large crown broccoli, cut into small bite-sized florets
3 bell peppers (I used 1 red, 1 orange, and 1 yellow), chopped into large bite sized pieces
1 small red onion (or 1/2 of a large red onion), chopped into large bite sized pieces
1 pound kremini (baby portobello) or white button mushrooms, stems removed and quartered.
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans (chick peas), rinsed and drained

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium sized pot.  Add rinsed, drained quinoa and a pinch of salt to the boiling water.  Reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook for 17 to 18 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.  Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil (I used a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan with a rim).  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Put broccoli in sheet pan; drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over the broccoli and season with a pinch or two of kosher salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.  Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once.  Remove from oven and lift aluminum foil with broccoli out of the sheet pan and allow to cool on the counter.

Line sheet pan with a fresh sheet of aluminum foil.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Put peppers and onion on sheet pan.  Drizzle with about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with a pinch or two of kosher salt and a little freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for 15 to 17 minutes, stirring occasionally to check for over browning.  Remove from oven and lift aluminum foil with peppers and onions out of the sheet pan and allow to cool on the counter.

Line sheet with a fresh sheet of aluminum foil. Spay with non-stick cooking spray.  Put mushrooms on sheet pan.  Drizzle with about 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and season with a pinch or two of kosher salt and a little freshly ground black pepper.  Roast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring once.  Remove from the oven and lift aluminum foil with mushrooms out of the sheet pan and allow to cook on the counter.

Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans; place in a large bowl.  Add the room temperature mushrooms, broccoli, peppers and onions; stir to combine. 

Serve oven roasted veggies over a bed of quinoa.  Makes five servings.  I packed this meal up in re-usable plastic containers and enjoyed them during the work week for lunch. I heated the containers for about 2 minutes in the microwave.

Last week, I went a little overboard buying fresh blueberries and strawberries.  Since I did not want to see the frutt go to waste, I decided some homemade freezer jam might be a good use.  I followed the directions on the Sure Jell package (yellow box).  I think the strawberry turned out pretty good. I had NO IDEA how much sugar goes into jeam.  The strawberry/blueberry jam did not set as well.
I was surprised how easy it was to make jam.  Mash berries, add sugar, bring pectin and water to a boil and add to fruit-sugar combination.  Stir, stir, stir.  Pack it up and freeze. Yep, pretty darn easy!

Strawberry Freezer Jam

Strawberry-Blue Berry Freezer Jam