Meatless Monday: Quinoa, Cauliflower & Greens

This entry was posted on Nov 27, 2017 by Charlotte Bell.

meatless monday

I took some time off from cooking in the past couple weeks due to a minor medical issue. While it was nice to have my partner take care of meals, I began to miss making my own. Nothing is as fresh as one’s own cooking. Also, I truly love researching recipes and working with food.

I found myself craving a veggie bowl. After some research, I found one that features the perfect combination of veggies, protein and a forward flavor. Plus, it comes from Vegan Richa’s blog site. (Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen is a new favorite cookbook for me.)

I like to do at least some of my prep work ahead of time. I prefer not to rush once it comes time to assemble a meal. For example, I made the almond-sriracha sauce several hours ahead of time. Because it has quite a few ingredients, I didn’t want to be scrambling to put it together at the same time I was preparing the veggies. Also, making the sauce ahead of time gave the flavors a chance to blend. Making the quinoa ahead of time is also a no-brainer.

This bowl was excellent. The sriracha in the quinoa, cauliflower and sauce give the whole dish a pleasant little kick. The dressing was, above all, gingery. The flavors are complex, but for me, the ginger really stood out, which I like. All in all, this was a very satisfying meal, both for its nutrition and its bold flavor.

The recipe is gluten free and serves 2.

Meatless Monday: Quinoa, Cauliflower & Greens with Almond-Sriracha Sauce

Quinoa
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp sriracha
Roasted Cauliflower
  • 1/2 head of large cauliflower or 1 small cauliflower chopped into small florets
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp or more sriracha to taste
  • 1/4 tsp ginger powder
Collard Greens
  • 4-5 large leaves of collard greens tough ribs removed and chopped chiffonade
  • 1/2 teaspoon oil
  • a generous pinch of salt and garlic powder
  • 2 tbsp water
Almond Sriracha Sauce
  • 3 tablespoons almond butter or use any other nut butter like peanut butter
  • 2 tsp ginger minced
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1-2 tsp Sriracha to taste
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp sesame oil
  • 3 tbsp coconut milk (I used So Delicious Coconut Milk Beverage, since I already had it on hand.)
  • a generous pinch of salt

Put It Together

Quinoa

  1. Wash the quinoa then cook with the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil on medium heat then cook at low-medium heat partially covered 10-15 minutes. Fluff and keep ready. Or use 1 cup cooked quinoa or other grain or lentils.
Roasted Cauliflower
  1. In a bowl, mix all the dressing ingredients. Toss the Cauliflower in it. sprinkle a bit of salt and bake at preheated 425 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.
Collard Greens
  1. While the cauliflower roasts, heat oil in the pan on medium heat. Add the collard greens, salt and garlic and cook for a minute.
  2. Add the water, mix, cover and cook on low-medium heat until lightly wilted.
Almond Sriracha Sauce
  1. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend well. Taste and adjust salt and spice.
  2. Arrange everything in a bowl and serve with a generous drizzle of the dressing, cilantro leaves and sesame seeds.
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About Charlotte Bell
Charlotte Bell discovered yoga in 1982 and began teaching in 1986. Charlotte is the author of Mindful Yoga, Mindful Life: A Guide for Everyday Practice and Yoga for Meditators, both published by Rodmell Press. Her third book is titled Hip-Healthy Asana: The Yoga Practitioner’s Guide to Protecting the Hips and Avoiding SI Joint Pain (Shambhala Publications). She writes a monthly column for CATALYST Magazine and serves as editor for Yoga U Online. Charlotte is a founding board member for GreenTREE Yoga, a non-profit that brings yoga to underserved populations. A lifelong musician, Charlotte plays oboe and English horn in the Salt Lake Symphony and folk sextet Red Rock Rondo, whose DVD won two Emmy awards in 2010.