I was tempted to name this recipe “Spanish Super Food Quinoa Bowl” because I ate something similar to it while in Spain. But there isn’t anything inherently Spanish to this quinoa bowl at all. So it’s not really Spanish per se. But I ate it in Spain and it inspired me to make my own version at home. So while it is not truly “Spanish”, I’ll always think of it as such.
It makes no sense, but I’m going with it. 😉
If you read Where To Eat In Marbella, Spain, you’ll remember that the first place we ate at was Manuka. (And if you haven’t read that post yet, get to it!) Manuka was where I had and fell in love with their Super Food Quinoa Bowl. It was a beautifully light and refreshing one-dish meal that satisfied on so many levels. Theirs had fresh avocado, chopped kale, beets, hummus, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pomegranate seeds on a bed of quinoa. I didn’t take a picture of the menu (shocking, I know!!), so I don’t remember what was in the dressing. But I do remember it was a light and tangy balance to the rest of the food. I liked this dish so much that when we visited Manuka a second time, I ordered it again (even though there were so many good options on the menu)!
It seemed a simple enough dish to throw together that I couldn’t wait to try and produce my own version at home.
Not too shabby, huh??
I tried to follow along with the ingredients I remembered from Manuka’s…beets, chopped kale, avocado, hummus, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds. For the dressing, I used my Orange Poppyseed Dressing and it added a perfect sweet and sour touch to the bowl.
The great thing about this quinoa bowl is you can customize it to how you like it. So when I made the bowl for me, I had hummus because I LOVE hummus. My husband, however, is NOT a fan of hummus. No way, no how. So while I removed the hummus from his bowl, I replaced it with some blanched spinach.
And then there are my boys…one likes beets, the other does not. Neither are fans of spinach or kale. They don’t want too much avocado. Or hummus. Although they still want SOME.
If you ignore me rolling my eyes for just a moment ;), this only illustrates how you can change up the toppings easily. For the boys, I topped their bowls with hard boiled eggs, blanched broccoli, and chopped lettuce.
The ingredients are still super and loaded with goodness. I can’t complain when I have a 14- and 10-year old eating healthy bowls like these!
So depending on what you like to eat, customize it to include the super foods you prefer! While I, personally, am not a fan of olives, I can see how they would go great on a quinoa bowl. How about roasted bell peppers, asparagus, or tomatoes? Chopped cucumbers and a sprinkle of feta offer a Greek angle. How about adding some broiled salmon? There are so many avenues you can take, all of them yummy!
And don’t forget to top it with my Orange Poppyseed Dressing!
Try making the quinoa bowl leave your comments below. Better yet, take a photo of your Super Food Quinoa Bowl and share it with me! I’d love to see what you’re making in your kitchen!
~ Lisa.
(*Post updated September 28, 2018: Added to the list of possible ingredient toppings for the quinoa bowls. Added instructions for cooking quinoa. Added ingredients and instructions for making the Orange Poppyseed Dressing right into the recipe.)
Super Food Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt
Orange Poppyseed Dressing:
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbs honey (optional, to taste)
- 2 tbs white wine vinegar (regular white vinegar works, too)
- 1 tsp poppyseeds
- Pinch salt
Possible toppings (choose your favorites!):
- Ripe avocado, sliced
- Chopped kale
- Chopped cooked beets
- Spinach, blanched
- Hummus
- Sliced or chopped hard-cooked egg
- Cooked broccoli or cauliflower
- Shredded lettuce
- Corn
- Shelled edamame beans
- Fire-roasted bell peppers
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Garden peas
- Toasted Pumpkin seeds
- Toasted Sunflower seeds
- Chopped nuts
- Fresh cut fruit like mango, papaya, apple, pear, etc.
Instructions
Quinoa:
- Using a fine sieve, rinse quinoa well under running water.
- Add drained quinoa to a pot with the 2 cups of water and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cover the pot with the lid.
- Simmer quinoa for 15 minutes.
- Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork or chopsticks. Set aside to cool.
Orange Poppyseed Dressing:
- Combine all dressing ingredients, blending well with a whisk. Set aside until read to use.
Bowls:
- Divide cooked quinoa into 4 bowls.
- Lay desired toppings on the quinoa in each of the bowls.
- Drizzle 1-2 tbs of Orange Poppyseed Dressing over the ingredients. Use more, if desired, according to taste.
- Top bowls with toasted pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds, if desired.
If you make this dish, share your photo on Facebook or Instagram and tag me @dayinthekitchen!
You also might like:
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- Shrimp Pomelo Salad
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- Spinach Sausage Quinoa Crust Quiche
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- Chicken Rice Salad Medley
Lisa
October 16, 2017 at 9:28 pmThanks, Kaman! Let me know how it turns out when you make it!
Kaman
October 16, 2017 at 9:08 pmWhat a lovely recipe! I love beetroot and avocado but would never have thought of putting them together! I think I would need to use broccoli as like your boys, my kids do not like kale either. Will definitely be something try very soon, thank you for sharing!