Fun fact about myself: I LOVE to cook! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to since I don’t have a kitchen at school, but I still remember a lot of my recipes and would like to share them with you guys!

For about two months last year, I was a vegetarian (and a vegan for a couple of weeks). This really allowed me to think creatively in terms of cooking and combining flavors – given that my diet was so restricted and limited.

Vegetarian or not, I still really enjoy a lot of the foods that I used to rely on. Quinoa is a must. It’s one of the best foods possible for you, and it has all the essential amino acids (something you have to keep in mind when you’re a vegetarian). It also has A TON of protein. Tofu is another one of those protein-packed essentials. It practically takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it with, and I personally love the texture.

I experimented with a bunch of different variations of quinoa meals, and I really took a liking to this particular one. For this you’ll need:

• ½ cup quinoa (uncooked)
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup tofu
• ½ cup spinach
• ¼ cup diced tomatoes
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ tablespoon olive oil

First, rinse the quinoa. Then, combine it with the vegetable broth/water and bring to a boil in a saucepan. Once it comes to a boil (bubbles breaking the surface), cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer (bubbles at the surface, but not breaking yet) for about 15 minutes (or until you see the seeds separating). 

While that is simmering, sauté the spinach, tofu, and diced tomatos in the olive oil. I would do this for about 5 minutes or so – or until you begin to see the spinach soften.

Once the quinoa is finished simmering, fluff it with a fork and then put the sautéd ingredients into the saucepan and stir. 

Voila! spinach-tofu quinoa. Enjoy!

Truly,
Taylor