One Pot Healthy Dinner Ideas are in huge demand. Instead of using pasta, this recipe uses Quinoa. If you are looking for cheap meals, try this recipe.
Did you have an instant liking to Quinoa from the first bite?
For me, Quinoa has been an acquired taste. It has taken me a whole year to accept it as a meal. Even with all its purported health benefits, I couldn’t get myself to like it.
To make myself eat Quinoa, I had to come up with creative ways to include it in my daily diet. I remember adding it to curries and samosas just to get my taste buds used to the texture.
A couple months ago, a friend made a wonderful kale and Quinoa salad with a lemony dressing. I think that was a turning point for me.
Today, I have evolved to the point where it can be the center of any recipe.
This is where I introduce you to the one pot healthy dinner idea that includes Quinoa as the star diva
Through trial and error, I have learned that Quinoa tends to be picky. It gets along with a select few types of ingredients. I loved that it makes Kale taste a little less bitter. When paired with sweet onions, Quinoa is delicious.
Nothing brings out the best in Quinoa when put in the same pan with a cornucopia of flavors. One pot meals are all the rage now. So, I decided to jump into the fray and come up with my own quick dinner idea for a one pan meal.
If you are into healthy eating, you might be attracted to this recipe. It is made from fresh vegetables and fall spices. I think I might make this into a once-a-week quick lunch meal.
This might not fit into a “cheap meals” category. I added Saffron and pistachios to it which can make it more expensive. If you are on a budget, then forego these 2 ingredients.
Saffron provides color and a delicious aroma. Pistachio adds a delicious nutty flavor.
What is your favorite way to use Saffron?
If you like this one pot recipe, you will love my Vegan Mexican Gnocchi, Vegan Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro and Cauliflower Rice Biryani
One Pot Healthy Dinner with Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 button mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1/2 red onion julienned or finely diced
- 3 plum tomatoes cut into rounds
- 1 cup sweet corn frozen or fresh
- 2 cups baby spinach fresh, stems cut off
- 2 cups Quinoa
- 3 Thai Chili optional, julienned
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic finely grated
- 5 Strands saffron
- 1 cup tomato sauce canned, unsalted
- 2 tsp Cumin powder
- 5 pieces sun dried tomatoes optional
- 3 tsp flax seed meal
- 3 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp pepper freshly ground
- 3 tsp basil dried
- 3 tsp oregano dried
- 2 tsp cumin powder
- 5 cloves
- 4 cups water
For Garnish
- 1/2 cup pistachios shelled, unsalted
- 1 tsp capers
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Heat a medium pan or pot at medium heat
- After 15 seconds, add the oil and let it heat for another 15 seconds
- Add all the ingredients in the order listed. Don’t add the water, pistachios and garnishes
- Let it saute for 30 seconds
- Add the water now.
- Set the heat to medium-high and cover
- Allow it to cook for about 25 minutes or until all the water has burned off, stirring often
- Once the water has evaporated, turn of the heat and let the pan or pot stand for about 5 minutes
- While it is cooling, chop the coriander for garnishing
- Remove the cover and add the garnishes.
- If you set aside julienne red onions, add them to the recipe.
I am always a fan of one pot dinner and the quinoa just makes it so much better!
Fabulous and I love that it’s one pot!
Thank you, Linda
Quinoa is such an amazing grain. I use it just like it is in sweets that I am making for a crunch, but then I also use it like to make yummy salads and such. It is really good if using the right flavor combos.
Thank you, Jennifer
I did fall in love with quinoa at first bite, but I know that is not the case with everyone 🙂 I love quinoa with kale as well and this one pot preparation with the sweet corn, spinach and sun-dried tomatoes sounds wonderful, I will have to try it soon!
Thank you, Joy. Glad to hear that I am not the only one with Quinoa issues, LOL
It’s funny that mention quinoa being an acquired taste. I have so many friends who hate it and I see haters on the internet about it. I’ve loved it since the first time I tried it and my husband doesn’t mind it at all. This dish sounds so full of flavor and those veggies….oh those veggies – love it!
Thank you, Christine. I envy your “love at first sight” relationship with Quinoa. LOL!
Looks delicious and flavorful. I will try making this recipe as I am always on a lookout for one pot meal ideas.
Thank you, Himani
Looks delicious and flavorful. I will surely try this as I am always looking for one pot meal recipes for weeknight dinner.
Thank you, Himani
Toast quinoa in saucepan (elective): Warmth a drizzle of olive oil within the saucepan over medium-excessive warmth, and add the drained quinoa.
Thank you, Estelle.
Hello,
Thank you for what looks like a beautiful recipe! I have a question…based on the directions, it looks like the quinoa is not cooked separately and then the other ingredients are added in? Instead it is cooked in the same pan as the veggies etc is that correct?
Thank you!
Thank you, Sue. Yes, you are correct. They are added to the same pan and then cooked at once. Saves time and cleaning extra pans, LOL.
I too struggled with quinoa. One of my friend’s dishes won me over. Have to try the kale mix sometime. For tonight this was as healthy as I was going 😉
I omitted the saffron and ended up substituting almonds for the pistachio for cost. I also ended up using a combo of cherry tomatoes and canned instead of plum and tomato paste, coriander seeds in the pot instead of coriander leaves….still came out tasty. Any dish this healthy that can stand up to my cupboard raid/oops on shopping lists will be back. May try it in a crock pot/slow cooker at some point. If another reader does and has tips please share.
For my fellow newbies…EVOO extra virgin olive oil (yeah seems so logical after you see it right?). And coriander leaves also known as cilantro (not seeds) for garnish.
Thank you so much, Kay. You are absolutely the best comment I have had all day!!! You certainly make my week. I am DELIGHTED to see that you took this recipe and made it your own. Yes, I love the idea of using cherry tomatoes in this recipe. I had contemplated that, but, ended up going with plum tomatoes. As for the EVOO, I am sorry to have not made that clear. I will do that from now on. I am so used to calling it cilantro that I forget to point out that it is better known as coriander. You definitely go on my list of best commenters ever. Hope you have a great year! 🙂
First off, I would like to say this sounds like a delicious recipe. Maybe one day I will try it.
I went to print it out and lo and behold it used EIGHT pieces of paper! What a total waste. Guess I won’t be printing out any of your recipes from here on out.
Thank you, Chuck. I am glad you think that my recipe sounds delicious and I really hope that you try it one day. There was one technical glitch with the printing plugin. The issue has been fixed and I really appreciate you bringing it to my attention. Here is the link that you can use to print a proper copy of the recipe:https://www.healingtomato.com/wprm_print/9461. There are a lot of mean people in this world who are mean because of the awful things happening in their life. I hope you decide to contribute to the betterment of humanity when your life is not in such a bad place.
I absolutely LOVE quinoa – hubby too. Other family members….not so much, but I’m working on ’em. I also love one pot meals, looks delish!
Thank you, Debra.
The flavors in this one pot are fantastic. Believe it or not I am still fairly new to quinoa…Must try this asap.
Thank you, Michelle
I can see how quinoa could be an acquired taste. It does have to be cooked right for me to enjoy it. This is a lovely recipe and I love the mushrooms to give a bite. This might be my new lunch dish.
Thank you, Janette