Quinoa Magic: Turn One Pot into Three Killer Meals

If the mere thought of cooking up a pot of quinoa has you feeling uninspired and just-plain-stuck over dinner details, here’s how to get outta that rut!

 

For starters, grab a pot and follow these instructions to get yourself 9 cups of precooked quinoa.

How to Make a Pot of Quinoa

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups uncooked quinoa
• 6 cups water
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer under water for 2 minutes, then transfer to a large pot and toast in olive oil until the water is evaporated and quinoa begins to turn light golden brown. Add water and bring to a boil, cooking for about 15 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff and enjoy immediately, or store in airtight containers in the refrigerator (up to 1 week) or freezer (up to 1 month).

Once your pot of quinoa is ready to go, mix that ancient grain goodness into these three recipes. Together, they call for exactly 9 cups of cooked quinoa, so you’ll get three snazzy dinners of that one premade pot of quinoa!

 

1. Cheesy Enchilada Quinoa Casserole

Where would quinoa be without a Mexi-version? In this easy, comfort-food inspired casserole, quinoa, ground turkey and black beans are turned into the stuff of your dreams.

 

This one is as easy as mixing all of the ingredients together and baking until the cheese is melted.

 

With basic ingredients that store easily in the pantry, it’s easy to prep anytime! Simply toss all of the ingredients together in a freezer-safe baking dish or foil pan, cover and freeze until you’re ready to serve. Then, bake until gooey and golden up top. Boom! Quinoa dinner done!

 

2. Honey-Sriracha Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Instead of ordering Asian tonight, save the take-out delivery fee and get yourself this face-blasting goodness in like, 20 minutes.

 

This may be the most basic recipe ever. Just simple ingredients like chicken, honey and sriracha, tossed in a skillet and cooked until glazy and gooey.

 

When popped on top of quinoa with a smidgen of cilantro and scallion, this dish is sure to win even the most fervent Kung Pao chicken lovers over. Try it tonight. Even on the busiest weekdays, you totally have time to make this dish!

 

3. Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Skillet

If you’re a big fan of classic 1970’s comfort food, grab a cast iron skillet and prepare to cook a grin on your face.

 

Calling for just a few pantry basics, you could keep everything you need for this recipe on hand for extra-crazy evenings. When it’s time to bake, just toss together in a skillet and bake until cheesy. Meowza.

Quinoa, chicken, broccoli. Your life has never been so delicious. Or so superfooded. Which is not yet a Wikipedia page. But I think it should be.

Enjoy!

Brooke blogs at Cheeky Kitchen, where she shares crazy simple, healthy family recipes. She joined Tablespoon to share some of her best, so keep an eye on Brooke's profile to see what she cooks up next!