Spicy Quinoa with Roasted Vegetables and Curried Avocado Cream
This is by far one of my favorite quinoa dinner or lunch salad. The roasted veggies combined with the curried avocado cream and crunchiness of the pomegranate seeds are just perfect. Works without the feta or mozzarella too to keep things vegan!
Servings: 2
Calories: 638kcal
Ingredients
For the roasted vegetables
- 1-1.5 cup butternut/pumpkin cubed
- 1 big sweet potato (any color or variety) (or 2 small), cubed
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 tsp chili powder or to taste
- 2-3 tbsp maple syrup/honey
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup unsalted almonds (pecans work too)
For the curried avocado
- 1/2 avocado peeled, pitted and mashed
- 1/2 Thai chili pepper finely chopped (or to taste if you like it more or less hot)
- 1/4 lime/lemon juice only, or to taste (use less if using lemon)
- 1/2 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 1 tsp maple syrup/honey
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
For the quinoa salad
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 oz mozzarella/feta cheese (optional) cubed
- 2 cups spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 435°F (220°C)
- Whisk together the olive oil or coconut oil, chili powder, garlic powder, maple syrup, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Spread the sweet potato and butternut/pumpkin cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle the oil mixture over the veggies and toss to coat. Roast until tender and slightly brown, about 30 minutes. Stir the veggies halfway through. During the last 10 minutes add pecans or almonds.
- While the veggies are roasting, rinse and cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. This will take about 15-20 minutes.
- To make the curried avocado, mash the avocado and stir in the chili pepper, lime juice, curry powder, ginger, honey, salt, and pepper. If you don’t like it too chunky, use your food processor to create a cream-like consistency.
- Add spinach to a plate and top with quinoa, roasted vegetables, curried avocado, pomegranate arils, and feta/mozzarella cheese if using cheese.