A vibrant Mediterranean bowl with sautéed spinach, creamy feta, quinoa, and fresh vegetables for a wholesome 35-minute meal.
# What You Need:
→ Grains
01 - 1 cup quinoa uncooked or brown rice
02 - 2 cups vegetable broth or water
→ Vegetables
03 - 4 cups fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
04 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
05 - 1 small cucumber, diced
06 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
07 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
→ Dairy
08 - 3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
→ Dressing
09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
12 - 1 garlic clove, minced
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
→ Optional Toppings
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds
15 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a medium saucepan, bring vegetable broth or water to a boil. Stir in quinoa or brown rice, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer until tender and liquid is absorbed, approximately 15 minutes for quinoa or 35 minutes for brown rice. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the chopped spinach and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until just wilted. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate.
03 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, minced garlic, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Divide cooked grains evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each portion with sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, and red onion.
05 - Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese evenly over each bowl.
06 - Drizzle each bowl with prepared dressing. Garnish with toasted pine nuts or sunflower seeds and fresh parsley if desired.
07 - Serve immediately while warm or at room temperature according to preference.
