Super Green Quinoa Burritos

These Super Green Quinoa Burritos are a major player in our weekly lunch rotation. They are wonderfully portable—wrap in foil for a picnic or even a long plane trip—and easily freezable, but around here, I usually just make all the components ahead of time (quinoa, mung beans, chopped kale, and avocado-tahini spread) and assemble them fresh every day for the week.  

I have to start by talking about the avocado-tahini spread. It is other-worldy. Verdant and tangy, like a nutty guacamole, the consistency is perfect—almost like a whipped butter; fluffy and light, but substantial enough to thickly dress all of the interior ingredients without making the burritos soggy.

I was new to mung beans before this recipe, or so I thought—they are actually the legume responsible for the sprouts on top of your Pad Thai. Mung beans come dried, not canned, but don't have the same laborious cooking time as other dried beans. These little green guys cook for only 5 to 20 minutes, depending on whether you purchase them sprouted or whole. They are hearty, similar to lentils, with an earthy, mellow taste. If you are a regular legume consumer like I am, it's a nice change of pace from the more commonplace varietals.

Finally, these burritos just feel so healthy; the perfect reset after a glutenous weekend or vacation. Despite their little footprint (after I wrap them up in a regular sized tortilla, I always think, that's all?) they are very filling thanks to the protein and fiber-rich quinoa and mung beans. If you happen to find yourself with leftover avocado-tahini spread, you can use it as a salad dressing or chip dip—but I wouldn't count on a surplus.

Super Green Quinoa Burritos (from 101 Cookbooks)

Makes 6 burritos

Ingredients:

• 1 avocado
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 4 scallions, trimmed
• Handful of chives, basil, and/or cilantro (I always use cilantro)
• 1/4 c tahini 
• 1/4 c water
• 5 Tbsp lemon juice
• Salt or coconut aminos, to taste (I use both)
• 1 serrano chile or jalapeno pepper
• 2 bunches of kale, de-stemmed, and sliced
• 6 multi-grain, whole-wheat, or spinach tortillas
• 3 cups cooked mung beans*
• 3 cups cooked quinoa
• Toasted pepitas and/or hemp seeds (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine the avocado, garlic, scallion, herbs, tahini, water, lemon juice, salt, and serrano in a blender or food processor and pulse until creamy. Transfer to a jar.

2. Place the kale in a large bowl, and add about 1/2 of the dressing to it. Massage with your hands until the kale is nicely coated and beginning to collapse a bit.

3. Place one tortilla on the counter and fill with about 1/2 cup of the quinoa, 1/2 cup of the mung beans, a couple generous dollops of the dressing, a handful of the kale mixture, and a sprinkling of pepitas and hemp seeds (if using). Fold and roll, and then repeat with the remaining burritos. Wrap each in parchment paper, and then foil if you're planning on eating later. You can freeze in multiples, wrapped in parchment, and then foil in large plastic bag.

*Mung beans directions often include a long period of soaking prior to cooking, which I never do. Just keep an eye on them to make sure you don't overcook: they will become mushy, and you want them to keep their crunch.

Smoky Quinoa Black Bean Falafel

I adore falafel, but it’s definitely not one of my favorite dishes to make. I put the two-bite morsels in the same boat as sushi: ideal take-out fare, where I can gleefully delight in every transportable component from the tiny side condiments to the just-so placed meal elements inside the rectangular cardboard container, not at an inch of surface area to spare. Fried chickpea patties are probably not the first dish that comes to mind when you think dinner on-the-go, but I happen to live near Taim, which serves sensational herbed falafel nestled against perfectly proportioned dollops of hummus, tahini, Israeli salad, and tabbouleh, plus a za’atar spiced pita bread on the side. The arrangement is nothing short of heaven, and I’ll happily dig into this smorgasbord of flavors with my plastic fork over recreating each of these accoutrements from scratch any day.

I know, I know, falafel isn’t hard to make. It involves a food processor and an oven. (I actually have an excellent recipe for the homemade version here). But let’s be honest, it’s not exactly a “put everything in the food processor!” kind of dish. It involves herbs—usually more than one kind—that have to be carefully destemmed before blending. The bulb, whether it be onions, scallions, or shallots, likely need to be chopped too. Then each patty has to be hand-formed, and before you know it, the whole endeavor becomes quite cumbersome. (On second thought, can I have an extra za’atar spiced pita with my order, please?) 
Quashing all of my grievances with a single recipe is this Smoky Quinoa Black Bean Falafel. Here, we have a true everything-into-the-food-processor patty, no knife required. Even better, it’s a pantry item rendition: you most likely already have the ingredients in your larder. The base is a bean, seed and nut mix (hello protein!) seasoned with ample spices, tomato paste, and chipotle pepper for acidity; and coconut aminos and nutritional yeast for umami. (Don’t fret if you don’t have some of the more obscure ingredients. Soy sauce can easily take the place of coconut aminos—just omit the salt—and nutritional yeast is optional. If you don’t have chipotle peppers in adobe lying around, use one teaspoon of chili powder instead). 

Dana of Minimalist Baker—the quick & easy vegan cooking queen— is behind the recipe, so you know she has a few tried-and-true tricks up her sleeve when it comes to texture. To ensure a super crispy crust without using any oil, Dana bakes the canned beans in advance to rid of excess water, ensuring that the quinoa/black bean base is sticky and unyielding. You’ll feel the sturdiness of the batter in your hands after blending: its appropriately crumbly, but not too pliant; and just gummy enough to instill confidence that each rolled patty will deftly hold its own. Post-baking, this translates to an overwhelmingly satisfying chip-like crunch on the outside, and moist, meaty chew on the inside. 

I was also able to adjust my patty-forming technique to be much more efficient than in the past. The trick lies in rolling each patty with your palms, rather than your fingers. Using a heaping tablespoon of batter per patty, I would scoop the contents into the palm of my hand, where I would roll it into a ball. Then, I would flatten the patty—again, only using the palm of my hand—before transferring to the baking sheet. Each patty took about 30 seconds with this method. 

Try the falafel in a pita or on top of a salad—I always like serving mine with some diced tomatoes and cucumbers, but the second time around I got creative and added some olives and pickled onions, too. For a simple tahini dressing, combine 3 parts tahini, 2 parts fresh lemon juice, 1 part olive oil, and enough water (likely the same amount as the lemon juice) to achieve a drizzly consistency. (Water will thicken tahini before it thins it, so don’t be alarmed if at the beginning you achieve the reverse effect). Then, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Smoky Quinoa Black Bean Falafel (from Minimalist Baker)

Makes 16 falafel patties

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked and cooled quinoa, from 1/2 cup dry (make sure it's cooked and completely cooled before using) 

1 15-ounce can black beans (rinsed, drained, dried) 

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (raw or roasted) 

5 cloves garlic (skin removed and crushed) 

1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste 

1 tsp ground cumin 

1/2 tsp ground coriander 

2 Tbsp tomato paste 

2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or soy sauce, if using, omit the sea salt)

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (can sub 1 tsp chili powder) 

1 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions:

1. If you haven’t prepared your quinoa yet, do so now (make sure it’s cooked and cooled completely before use). 

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add rinsed, dried black beans to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until beans appear cracked and feel dry to the touch. Remove beans from the oven and then increase oven heat to 375 degrees F. 

3. Add black beans to a food processor along with pumpkin seeds and garlic and pulse into a loose meal. Then add cooked/cooled quinoa, salt, cumin, coriander, tomato paste, coconut aminos, chipotle pepper in adobo, and nutritional yeast (optional). Blend to combine until a textured dough forms (you're not looking for a purée). 

4. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more coconut aminos for saltiness/depth of flavor, adobo sauce for heat, cumin for smokiness, or salt for overall flavor. 

5. Scoop out 1 1/2 Tbsp amounts and gently form into small discs using your hands. Add formed falafel to a parchment-lined baking sheet. 

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Then flip to ensure even baking and bake for 10-15 minutes more or until golden brown and crispy on the edges.

Spring Quinoa Bowl with Asparagus and Peas

Although I could singlehandedly stage an all-night Talkathon with the amount I have to say about my love for winter root vegetables, these balmy 60 degree days have got me seriously craving some springtime fare. Signatures like peas, asparagus, and radishes won’t be available locally until the beginning of May, but this Spring Quinoa Bowl with Asparagus and Peas totally satisfies the yearning. (New mantra: if you can’t shop locally, shop for an ingredient list that can be exclusively filled at Trader Joe’s). Somewhere in between a salad and a grain bowl, this hearty dish showcases spring’s best produce offerings, plus a major protein boost from chickpeas and hard-boiled egg. Finished with a lemony-mustard vinaigrette, the bright, citrusy flavors create the perfect palate as we eagerly anticipate spring’s arrival.

 

Lunch? Dinner? Likely both, as this verdant bowl begs to be doubled or tripled, a big-batch dish for sure. Substitutions are highly encouraged: swapping is the name of the game here. Sick of quinoa? Try farro or orzo instead. Craving something nutty? Forget pepitas, and garnish with chopped almonds or toasted pistachios. Looking for an alternate protein source? Try subbing feta cheese for chickpeas, or shrimp for the hard-boiled egg. Mint would go beautifully instead of parsley. And because I just presented you with a trendy, whole-ingredient grain bowl: yes, sliced avocado would be a lovely addition too.

Spring Quinoa Bowl with Asparagus and Peas (adopted from Two Peas & Their Pod)

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the bowl:

½ cup raw quinoa

6 oz asparagus (about 10 thick spears), trimmed

½ cup English peas

¾ cup chickpeas

4 radishes, sliced

¼ cup toasted pepitas

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

2 large handfuls of arugula (about 4 cups)

For the dressing:

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp honey

Salt & pepper

Directions:

1.     Roast the asparagus. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay out a sheet of tin foil over a baking pan, and toss asparagus with 1 tsp olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake until just tender, 12 to 15 minutes (less for thin spears). After they’ve cooled, chop spears into 1-inch pieces.

2.     Cook the quinoa. Rinse quinoa thoroughly under cold water, then place in a small saucepan with 1 cup of water. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then simmer until liquid is absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

3.     Make the dressing. Combine the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, oil, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper together and whisk thoroughly. Adjust seasonings to taste.

4.     Assemble the bowls, dividing the ingredients equally between the two.  Start with placing the arugula in a wide, shallow bowl. Top with half the quinoa, asparagus, peas, chickpeas, radishes, and egg.  Drizzle the dressing. Top with pepitas and parsley before serving.

Blueberry Quinoa Amaretto Crisp

For this Blueberry Quinoa Amaretto Crisp, it was love at first sight.  How did the recipe so quickly win over my affection? The answer is threefold: First, alluring me with one of my favorite seasonal summer fruits; second, seducing me with a triple hit of almond: slivered nuts, almond flour, and amaretto almond liquor; and third, courting me with my favorite grain-that’s-not-actually-a-grain, quinoa.  The result: a bubbling, toasted pan of perfection, boasting not one but two superfoods. Oh, my heart (and tummy) are so full.

 

The crisp's quinoa topping is not as sweet as you’d presume in this type of dish. While unexpected, I found myself liking it: I treated the dish almost more as a breakfast consideration, rather than dessert. The quinoa mixed with slivered almonds makes for a topping with quite a crunch, which gently coats the real star of the dish: the blueberries.

The blueberry-amaretto combination, eaten while still warm, is truly heavenly. It’s like a rich, thick, almondy syrup. I kind of felt like I was eating all the best elements of a blueberry pancake.  Then, the quinoa topping caves, falling into blueberry puddle, and that syrup gets sopped up by each quinoa grain.  Yum.

 

I’ve never used quinoa in a sweet dish before, and really enjoyed its nutty, grainy contribution. However, I did feel like some of the other elements of the topping—like butter, brown sugar and almond flour—got lost within it.  Next time, I will double up on these ingredients. But there is no denying the satisfaction of that quinoa crunch.

Blueberry Quinoa Amaretto Crisp (from Closet Cooking)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 3/4 cup water
• 6 cups blueberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons amaretto 
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (~1/2 lemon)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup almond flour (or flour or rice flour etc)
• 1/4 cup almond slices

Directions:

1. Bring the water and quinoa to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed the water, about 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, covered.
2. Mix the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, amaretto, lemon juice and vanilla and place in an 8x8 inch baking dish (or a number of smaller dishes).
3. Mix the quinoa, brown sugar, butter, flour and almond slices and crumble on top of the blueberries.
4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until it is bubbling and the top is golden brown, about 30-45 minutes.

Quinoa Salad with Strawberries, Almonds and Mint

Summer fruits aren’t wasting any time bursting onto the outdoor dining scene. Whether it’s a picnic, BBQ, or first dinner on the patio; berries, melons, pits, and citrus are rallying to stake their presence in any and every warm-weather seasonal dish. Enough of limiting us to breakfast sides and post-dinner desserts, they scoff.  Chilled soups, bold salads, hearty grains, grilled mains…. we want in on it all!

Oh so sweet but equally determined, they are collectively led by the mighty strawberry. The most represented fruit on the summer savory dish circuit, we don’t skip a beat seeing a strawberry-balsamic glaze or goat cheese-strawberry salad on a main menu.  Which is why the juicy red berry shines in this herb-flecked, warm-toned summer Quinoa Salad with Strawberries, Almonds and Mint.

A side salad (add a protein like grilled chicken or shrimp to elevate to a main) that promises a warm welcome at any communal outdoor gathering, this quinoa salad is the perfect potato-salad-pick-me-up thanks to its bold, refreshing flavors and novel pairing of well-known parts. Scallions, cucumber, almonds, strawberries, feta, parsley, and mint are nothing new; but tossed all together…does it work? Oh, you bet it does! No bite tastes the same with the infinite combinations of each chopped ingredient, transforming flavors as you dig deeper into the salad for the next surprising gustatory pop.

This recipe is the first I’ve used with champagne vinegar; a subtle, citrus acidity that delivers a much milder taste than it’s apple cider and white wine vinegar cousins.  While I appreciated the subtleness, I think next time I’d use a bolder vinegar: for salad bites that didn’t contain the naturally acidic strawberry, I felt that the dressing could’ve used something more. I also forwent the almond oil only because I didn’t have any, but imagine that its nutty flavors would’ve helped meld the flavors even more seamlessly. (A smart calorie-conscious move would be to half the oil, no matter which kind you use—3 tablespoons is plenty!)

Quinoa Salad with Strawberries, Almonds and Mint (from PureWow)

Makes 6 side-servings (second helpings are inevitable, so if you're hungry, feeds 4)

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
3 tablespoons almond oil*
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (can substitute apple cider or red/white wine vinegar)
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 scallions, white and light-green parts only, thinly sliced
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
½ English cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons thinly sliced mint leaves

*As I noted above, I recommend using no more than 3 tablespoons oil total.

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan set over high heat, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed all the water, about 12 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Transfer the quinoa to a large baking sheet or plate and spread it out to cool to room temperature. This step is optional. If you are eating immediately, a slightly warmed quinoa tastes wonderful too.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk the almond oil with the olive oil, champagne vinegar and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the cooled quinoa with the strawberries, scallions, feta cheese, almonds, cucumber, parsley and mint. Re-whisk the dressing and pour it over the salad. Toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve.