Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry

Spiriteds, have you tried coconut aminos yet? if you haven’t, then please do. Realistic in flavor, this soy-free seasoning sauce has a delicate texture that doesn’t overpower the meal. I was hooked at first taste. It is because of coconut aminos that we have another first on the blog, gluten-free, soy-free Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry. It turns this simple recipe into restaurant-style quality. Date night in just got a little more sophisticated without all the effort and high prices.

Twinkle’s preschool director turned me onto the idea of coconut aminos last fall, and I’ve been slightly obsessed ever since. In fact I want to go back to old recipes like Grain-Free Cauliflower Stir Fry to see how it tastes with this soy-free mix-in. Seriously, I’m adding coconut aminos now to whatever meal I can get my hands on!

A quinoa stir-fry has been on my mind for weeks. But what should be in it and how should it taste? It took a while, but I learned to like quinoa, and I wondered whether adopting it into our regular repertoire was proof of crossing over to the OTHER SIDE. Would it mean I had officially left my life of Hot Pockets and Michelina’s frozen dinners behind? I’m not much of a green thumb (yet), don’t sport elbow patches on any of my clothes, and do not live in California or the Pacific Northwest, which is exactly how I pictured a quinoa connoisseur. It’s possible I had that stereotype wrong. It turns out, you CAN have your Hot Pocket and eat your quinoa, too, no matter where you live or what you wear. Gardening optional. Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry is for the masses.

As for finding coconut aminos, the process wasn’t terribly difficult. You also won’t need double secret access to a specific product line. Offline, I was able to find individual jars of coconut aminos at Vitamin Shoppe. Online I looked no further than Amazon, and bulk purchasing was available.

Making Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry isn’t difficult either. First I made two cups of quinoa according to package instructions. I always add a little olive oil and a pinch of salt to the saucepan. Then I go to work on the vegetables. I used carrots, onions, and peppers this round. However, broccoli and other vegetables would taste delightful, too. To streamline the process, I sautéed the vegetables in a larger-than-necessary sauté pan. It felt like overkill with just the vegetables. But once I added the eggs and cooked quinoa, it was the perfect size for sautéing. Speaking of eggs, I haven’t tried egg product alternatives yet, however I’m super curious because both girls don’t tolerate eggs well. If you have an egg alternative product you like, I’m ALL ears! I then topped the stir fry with coconut aminos and added salt and pepper to taste.

A note about the coconut aminos: I admit I added A LOT. I love this stuff. So while Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry calls for 1/2 cup, you may want to add it 1/4 cup at a time. You may end up wanting more than 1/2 cup (like me) or less. Fortunately, you can drizzle and taste and then drizzle and taste some more until you get exactly what you want.

We eat Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry as a main course but it can easily serve as a side dish. We also enjoy it straight out of the sauté pan or as leftovers. I was dubious about how well the leftovers would work, however K-Hubs assured me all would be well. He also ate pizza in a big during college, so I wasn’t sure he was the best source. But he was right. You can leave this in the fridge for a day or two, and the flavor will intensify. Leftovers or straight from the pan, this recipe is also an indulgent way to get your daily veggies, which is my kind of meal. I enjoy raw carrots now, but I still prefer them slathered in dip, especially Lemon Avocado Dip. #WorkInProgress

Whether you need a main course, a side dish, or an excuse to eat vegetables, Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry is all too happy to accommodate. So, Spiriteds, get your sauté on!

Veggie Quinoa Stir-Fry

Print Recipe

• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 35 mins
• Yield: 8 cups 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 3 eggs or egg product substitute
• 1/2 cup green onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, cook quinoa according to package instructions. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt. Set aside.
2. Pour remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan and add carrots, red onion, green pepper, and garlic. Sauté until carrots are softened and are a deep orange color but are not mushy. Cooking times will vary, but this will likely take about 5-10 minutes.
3. Add cooked quinoa to vegetable mixture and add eggs, stirring until quinoa and vegetables are evenly coated and eggs have cooked. Cooking times will vary, but this will likely take about 5-8 minutes.
4. Fold in green onions and pour coconut aminos over stir-fry.
5. Season with additional salt and pepper as desired.

Notes

Cooking times may vary. To streamline the process, begin sautéing vegetables while the quinoa is cooking.

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