This is easily one of my favorite, easy recipes I have made! It’s quick (20-30 minutes) and an easy cleanup, if you do everything in the same pot. Plus, this is the perfect portion for one person. There’s not much more to say besides: you have to try this!
Ingredients:
For the Quinoa:
1/4 cup dry tricolor quinoa
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup low sodium vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste
For the Tomatoes:
1/ 2 tbsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tomato of choice, diced
1/2 tsp brown sugar
small handful fresh Italian herbs, chopped (I used basil and oregano)
1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
For the Pesto Sauce:
2.5 tbsp vegan pesto (I used Trader Joe’s vegan kale pesto)
2 tbsp vegan garlic hummus (I used Trader Joe’s vegan roasted garlic hummus)
For the Macadamia Cheeze:
2 tbsp raw macadamia nuts
2 tbsp raw cashews
2 tsp nutritional yeast
1/2-1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2-1.5 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
Top with:
Balsamic glaze or balsamic vinegar (I used glaze)
How-to:
- Soak macadamia nuts and cashews in warm water (water should be covering the nuts) while you make the quinoa and tomatoes. You should soak for at least 20 minutes, but you could wait longer.
- Bring all of the ingredients for the quinoa to a boil in a small pot, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove quinoa from heat and add to serving bowl. Rinse out pot and bring back to the heat. Add olive oil for tomatoes over medium/low heat.
4. Next, add the minced garlic to the oil for about 1 minute, then add in the diced tomatoes and salt and pepper. Let the tomatoes cook down for a couple minutes, then add in the brown sugar. Cook, stirring so that it doesn’t stick, for another five minutes. For the last minute or two stir in the fresh herbs and the balsamic vinegar. Remove the tomato mixture from the heat and add over the quinoa. Rinse the pot again and bring back over low heat.
5. Before making the sauce, add all of the ingredients for the cheese to a small blender cup (such as a Nutribullet). If you don’t have a single serving blender piece, try making a bigger batch unless you want to be scrapping down the ingredients every 20 seconds.
6. Add the ingredients for the pesto sauce to the pot. Blend the cheese ingredients while you mix the sauce over the heat. Add more lemon juice, salt and water as needed to your cheese. The cheese should not be too liquid, it can form a small dollop on top of your bowl.
7. Top your quinoa bowl with the pesto sauce, a dollop of cheese, and balsamic glaze or vinegar. Enjoy!
The Peaceful Plate 