Recipes: Crazy For Quinoa

I seriously need to get my act together when it comes to taking pictures for recipes! But hey, surely it's the actual recipe that counts, right?

Today's meal was the first one I ever made for our first fast-day, a lemony couscous with roasted vegetables, sounds potentially boring, tastes delicious! 

Couscous with roast vegetables: Serves 5

 350g Couscous = 865g cooked = 970 kcal

2 stock cubes = 60 kcal

1 onion = 46 kcal

2 cloves garlic = 8 kcal

lemon zest

salt

pepper

spices

1 tbsp olive oil = 119 kcal

200g feta =  264 kcal

3 Peppers = 120 kcal

1 courgette = 45 kcal

1 pack cherry tomatoes = 36 kcal

2 red onions = 80 kcal

1 tbsp oil = 119 kcal

1 cup mushrooms = 15 kcal

total = 1882 kcal

pp = 376 kcal

• Cut the vegetables into large pieces, leave tomatoes and mushrooms whole
• Put them in a roasting tray with olive oil, salt and pepper
• Put them in 200°c oven for 40-50 mins or until soft and browned
• Finely chop the onion and fry in a pan until softened
• Finely chop the garlic and add to onions, fry quickly until fragrant
• Add the cous cous and mix through the onions, then add the stock, cover with a lid and turn the heat to lowest setting
• After 5 minutes when all the liquid is gone, grate in the zest of 1 lemon, season with salt and pepper and crumble the feta in. Mix to combine and serve with the vegetables

This was how I made it the first time, however today we didn't have any couscous so I went with quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). It's the first time I've ever had it before and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised! It takes a little longer to cook than couscous and has much more of a bite to it but it wasn't unpleasant and I would definitely recommend it as an alternative to couscous in any recipe (although I still prefer couscous).
I added fresh coriander, roughly chopped, into the quinoa this time and served mine with a good dash of hot sauce and some fresh chili! Try and enjoy!