National Nutrition Month Recipe Feature: Moroccan Spiced Vegetables and Chickpeas over Quinoa

Happy National Nutrition Month! Our dietitians, RanDee and Abby, have been posting some of their favorite recipes throughout the month of March. This week, Abby made a Moroccan inspired dish with boldly seasoned vegetables and chickpeas over a bed of quinoa.
 
If you’re tired of the same flavors and spices in your meals, then this one is for you! This delicious vegan and gluten free dish combines a number of bold spices that blend perfectly with the vegetables and chickpeas. The recipe as written is not spicy but you could easily add in some cayenne pepper to add more of a kick. The options for this recipe are endless. I love to keep it simple with zucchini, tomatoes, and chickpeas but feel free to throw in your favorite vegetables to add more variety!
 
This recipe is vegan and gluten free friendly, high in protein, fiber, and very low in sodium. Along with being healthy and delicious, it is a very quick recipe to throw together for busy weeknights. It can be prepared and ready to serve in 30 minutes or less.

Moroccan-Spiced Vegetables and Chickpeas over Quinoa
 
Active Prep: 10 minutes  •  Cook: 20 minutes
Serves 4  •  Serving Size:  ½ cup cooked quinoa with 1 cup vegetable mixture

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa, thoroughly rinsed
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 3 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 large zucchini, sliced in half moons
• 1 (15 oz) can low sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper

 
Directions
1. Combine 1 cup rinsed quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for ~15 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Set aside.
 
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and chopped onion, sauté for ~5 minutes.
 
3. Add minced garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and turmeric; cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly. Once spices are fragrant, stir in tomatoes and simmer for 2 more minutes.
 
4. Add sliced zucchini, rinsed chickpeas, and ¼ tsp black pepper to the mixture. Stir, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until zucchini is tender-crisp. Serve 1 cup vegetable/chickpea mixture over ½ cup quinoa and enjoy!