A Healthy Meal

Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Green Beans with Toasted Almonds


Moroccan Quinoa with Roasted Fall Vegetables
Though this dish is certainly not authentic Moroccan cuisine (given that I know nothing on the subject), I was inspired to use flavors from the Moroccan kitchen, when creating this healthy dinner. The quinoa is scented with cumin and saffron and compliments the roasted vegetables in both flavor and texture. The quinoa is topped with cilantro and goat cheese to build another layer of flavors to completes the dish. Alongside, I served green beans tossed with nutty, toasted almonds, which goes nicely with the main dish.


Serves 6

Ingredients
- 1 large yam, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium (about 1 pound) butternut squash, peeled, diced into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 large carrots, cut into 1 pieces
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- pinch saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large roasting pan, toss the diced butternut squash, yam, carrot, cauliflower and onion with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables for approximately -55 minutes, or until caramelized.
Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa well in a fine sieve. In a medium saucepan heat the water and vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, add the cumin and saffron, cover and let steep 10 minutes. Bring the liquid back to a boil. Stir in the quinoa, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Season the quinoa with salt and pepper and transfer to a large serving platter or bowl. Toss the hot roasted vegetables with the quinoa. Serve warm. Top each individual serving with the cilantro and some of the goat cheese.