Parenting a child under five, I often find myself muttering “the path of least resistance”. And quinoa bowls are exactly that. Nutritious, yet easy to whip up, this bowl of goodies with its caramelised roast veg, fibre-packed beans and protein-rich quinoa will leave you feeling satisfied for hours to come. I like to make it in the morning while my son is busy playing so I have some ready for lunch as well as a ton leftover that I can tub up and have on hand for the rest of the week. It’s a very adaptable dish, one where you can substitute your favourite low salicylate veg or add some tinned salmon or tuna if that’s what tickles your fancy. Served with a side of lentil chips and a dollop of low salicylate hummus or tzatziki, quinoa bowls are a source of comfort during a hectic season of life.

Enjoy! xx

Roast Veg and Bean Quinoa Bowl

Serves 3

Equipment

• Peeler
• Cutting board and knife
• Saucepans
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• Mixing bowl
• Storage container

Ingredients

2 tbsp sunflower oil

Pinch of salt

1 pumpkin (skin removed)*

3 carrots (peeled)**

3 potatoes (peeled)

1 parsnip

1 leek

1/4 green cabbage

1 can of bamboo shoots

1 can of four bean mix

1 cup quinoa

2 cups boiling water

Method

1.) Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (fan-forced)

2.) Rinse and prep veg: peel carrots, parsnip and potatoes. Dice all vegetables into bite-sized pieces. For the cabbage, slice as thinly as possible around the core (discard the core). For the leek, slice the white and very light green parts into thin pieces.

3.) Put diced pumpkin, carrot and potato into a roasting pan and toss with oil and a pinch of salt, using your hands to make sure the oil coats all the veg.

4.) Put the roasting pan in the oven for 30 minutes

5.) While the veg is roasting in the oven, boil the kettle. Rinse and drain the quinoa. Add rinsed quinoa and water to a small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, fluff with a fork and set aside

5.) After the veg has cooked in the oven for 30 minutes, remove the roasting pan from the oven. Toss vegetables and add green onions, leek and green cabbage

6.) Return roasting pan to oven and cook for a further 30-40 minutes or until veg has cooked through with golden caramelised edges

7.) Remove pan from oven and set aside to cool

8.) Once veg has cooled, add cooked quinoa, bamboo shoots and four bean mix and toss

9.) Serve into bowls with a sprinkle of parsley and/or a dollop of low salicylate hummus

10.) If saving for later, put veg, quinoa and bean mixture into a storage container for later (can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days)

*Pumpkin is listed in the RPAH handbook as moderate in salicylates, something to be mindful of if you’re very sensitive or looking to limit your chemical load. For a completely low salicylate option, you can replace with green beans.

**Carrots are listed in the RPAH handbook as moderate in salicylates, something to be mindful of if you’re very sensitive or looking to limit your chemical load. Kęszycka et al. 2017 however list carrot as low, so I’ve included them here. Just be mindful when trying the recipe for the first time.