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Roasted Broccoli & Feta Quinoa! This easy & healthful recipe is so versatile -- serve hot or at room temperature as a salad, side dish or add a protein and enjoy it as a main dish!

This post was originally created on June 15, 2015 and was updated on June 25, 2019. 

Roasted Broccoli & Feta Quinoa

Roasted Broccoli & Feta Quinoa

The Kitchen Prep

Roasted Broccoli & Feta Quinoa! This easy & healthful recipe is so versatile — serve hot or at room temperature as a salad, side dish or add a protein and enjoy it as a main dish!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 19 minutes mins

Total Time 24 minutes mins

Course Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 ½ cups broccoli florets cut into bite sized pieces
• ¼ cup olive oil plus 1 or 2 tablespoons extra for roasting broccoli
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 small clove of garlic grated or finely minced
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram or your favorite herbs
• 1 cup quinoa cooked according to package directions
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Prepare a baking pan by lining with foil. Place broccoli florets on pan and drizzle with about a tablespoon or two of olive oil, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how toasty you like your broccoli.
• Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette by whisking together ¼ cup olive oil with the lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. Set aside.
• When broccoli is finished roasting, remove from baking sheet and place in a medium bowl. Add cooked quinoa and crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle vinaigrette over top and fold ingredients together gently until well combined. Sprinkle with extra feta or fresh herbs before serving, if desired.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

Attack of the Killer Tomato

True story: I was almost killed by a cherry tomato over the weekend. No lie.

Here I am, trying to get back on track with eating {mostly} healthy, and the plan completely backfires and literally almost does me in.

When you're a mama-on-duty 24/7 and eating becomes secondary to -- well, everything -- it's easy to get into the habit of grabbing things that are more treat-like than nourishing and forget to consume enough servings of fruits and veggies. So, I've been making more of an effort to eat mindfully and choose carefully when it comes to my daily diet. Over the weekend, I wanted to munch with reckless abandon... but I behaved myself and stuck to mostly healthy choices. {Minus some ridiculous homemade brownies that happened. Balance, people.}

During my weekly visit to Trader Joe's, I had been seduced by some beautiful, vibrant red cherry tomatoes. When lunchtime came around on Sunday and I needed a quick bite, I reached for a handful of them with a dollop of hummus. Steve was playing with Cole and I was happily snacking away when suddenly -- POP. I bit down and was nearly drowned by a giant wave of seeds and juice that erupted forth from the tiny tomato with the power of a Nerf Super Soaker.

I can imagine that the look on my face was priceless; the choking and gagging that ensued was enough to rouse Steve, who usually just looks at me like he's had enough of my dramatics when something of the sort happens. Coughing, hacking and gasping for breath followed as I tried to get some air. As it turns out, aspirating tiny seeds is quite unpleasant. Once I cleared my airway, I sputtered words of disdain for the offending tomato {though quite delicious, if I'm being completely honest} and assured Steve that there was no need for the Heimlich or a call to 911. Sigh. I doubt that a chocolate bar would assault me in such a violent fashion... just sayin'.

Consequently, cherry tomatoes and I are taking a little break from each other for a while. Meanwhile, I've come up with another quick dish that probably won't try to drown you or infringe upon your airway at all as long as you chew carefully while I recover: Roasted Broccoli & Feta Quinoa.

I can't tell you how many times I've made this, and I can't get sick of it. Roasty-toasty broccoli {I like it almost burnt to a crisp} gives a nutty and textural bite to simple quinoa salad. Punctuated by salty bits of feta cheese, everything is brought together with an easy lemon vinaigrette for a tangy zip.

Tips and Alternative Flavor Combinations

This recipe is really a basic formula for what could easily become a multitude of different versions. Grain + veggie {and protein if desired} + vinaigrette + add-ins. Here are a few tips and suggestions to help you customize it to your liking:

• This dish can be made with any roasted vegetable {although then it won't be "Roasted Broccoli" quinoa anymore, of course. 🙂 Veggies prepared on the grill also add a deliciously smoky element to the mix.
• I used quinoa for this dish, but you can also use cooked farro, orzo or couscous for a similar "salad."
• Any fresh or dried herb {or combination of the two} will work well here. Switch it up to change out the flavors and keep things interesting.
• Add a little global flair by changing out the spices and add-ins:
  • Greek - dill, fresh mint, fresh basil + feta. Add some chopped Kalamata olives and pine nuts for an extra burst of flavor.
  • Mexican - cumin, fresh cilantro + queso fresco. Add some roasted corn or charred poblano peppers for more texture.
  • Asian - fresh cilantro. Swap out lemon vinagrette for one like this. Add chopped scallions and sesame seeds or sliced almonds for some crunch.
  • Italian - oregano, fresh basil +Parmesan. Add sun dried tomatoes.
• For a little more heft, add a protein like grilled chicken breast, shrimp or roasted salmon on top and make it a complete meal! Vegetarians -- chickpeas or your favorite bean would also work here!

Healthy eating may extend your life -- or, it may cut it short! Ha. So you might as well enjoy the things you eat; this dish will kill two birds with one stone!

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