#339: Ginger Bok Choy Quinoa with Roasted Carrots

Carrots + Ginger.  Somehow this combination works.  I had it in a soup once, and the flavor combination was perfect.  So, I wanted to take this same flavor base over to an easy quinoa recipe.  

With the cold weather upon us, and maybe sticking around (is anyone else as tired of this hot/cold back and forth we're feeling in DC?!), warm quinoa salads are the best.  You could easily add fish sauce and red pepper flakes to this dish, for a little more flavor, but I think the roasted veggies with a subtle hint of ginger and chilies in this dish works! I recommend serving this with grilled salmon or pork loin, mmmm enjoy! 

Ginger Bok Choy Quinoa with Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons grated ginger

5 cups of bok choy

2 celery stalks, split down the middle of each stalk and chop into 1/2 inch pieces

1 medium-large carrot, peeled and cut in half

two green chiles, split down the middle

1 shallot, peeled and cut in half

2 teaspoons olive oil 

2 1/2 cups of raw quinoa (cook it according to the box’s directions)  

Directions:  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 
2. Place your prepared carrot, chilies and shallot in a foil pouch.  Coat with the olive oil and cover into foil packet.  Cook for 20 minutes.  Take the top foil cover off and cook for 10 more minutes.  (Typically to have it completely softened you would cook for 30 minutes in the packet, but 20 minutes is perfect for having it not too softened, but just right for this dish)
3. In the meantime, on high heat add your oil and grated ginger.  Let it splutter a bit and then add in the bok toy.  Cook until the leaves get wilted - for 3 minutes.  Add in the chopped celery, cook for 1 minute, just to heat through.  I like to keep things crunchy :) 
4. Once the chilies, shallot and carrot have cooled.  Chop them up.  The shallots and chilies can be chopped fine, and the carrots can be copped into half inch pieces.  
5. Mix everything together and salt + pepper to taste, and go for it.