Photo courtesy of Pinch of Yum

Welcome to 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet, our new blog series! It’s no secret that eating the Mediterranean way helps with heart health and weight loss. But fast-paced modern living makes it hard to stick to any diet, which is why each 30 Days on a Mediterranean Diet post will feature a healthy Mediterranean recipe.

If I had to choose one thing to eat for the rest of my life, this dish may very well be it. Why? Because it’s versatile, scrumptious and healthy. With a heavenly base of roasted red pepper sauce and quinoa – and a wide variety of toppings from which to choose – it’s a bowl that bends to whatever you’re craving (while staying low carb).

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
From Pinch of Yum
Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

1 (16 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained
1 clove garlic
½ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
Juice of one lemon
½ cup olive oil
½ cup almonds

For the Mediterranean Bowls
Choose whichever ingredients you’d like in your bowl from the ones below

Cooked quinoa
Spinach, kale, or cucumber
Feta cheese
Kalamata olives
Pepperoncini
Thinly sliced red onion
Hummus
Fresh basil or parsley
Olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper

Prep & Cook

  1. Pulse all the ingredients for the sauce in a food processor or blender until mostly smooth. The texture should be thick and textured.
  2. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. When the quinoa is done, build yourself a Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl!
  3. Store leftovers in separate containers and assemble each bowl just before serving, especially the greens and the sauces, as those will get soggy when stored with all the other ingredients.