Garlicky Lentils & Quinoa with Ricotta (High Protein)
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- uncooked quinoa 1 ¼ cup
- low-sodium vegetable broth or water 1.67 cup
- Kosher salt
- Herby Lentils 2 ½ cup
- Tofu Ricotta 1 cup
- Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots 4 forkful
- extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ tbsp
- fat garlic cloves 4
- panko breadcrumbs ¼ cup
- coriander seeds 2 tsp
- pepitas ½ cup
- red pepper flakes ½ tsp
- Flaky
I prefer serving the leftover cooked lentils at room temp, but you can reheat them in the microwave or on the stove if you prefer. If you want a warmer vibe, you can lightly warm up the ricotta in the microwave. If you have leftover Quick Pickled Shallots and Chiles, use them in other grain bowls, tacos, or sandwiches. Love garlic? Use 6 garlic clove instead of 4 in the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas. To lightly crush coriander seeds, use a mortar and pestle or a few blitzes in a spice grinder. If you don’t have either tool, smash down on them with the back of a heavy knife or roughly chop them. Or, crush with the back of a sturdy mug, measuring cup, or cast iron skillet. Add the red pepper flakes if you love spicy food. Otherwise, omit. Storage: Store all components separately in the fridge, including the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas. The quinoa will stay good for up to 5 days and the pepitas for 5 to 7 days. Reheat the quinoa and/or lentils if desired and assemble as listed in step 4 right before serving. Storage: The Herby Lentils and Tofu Ricotta can be frozen for a few months. Defrost in the fridge. If needed, re-blend the ricotta to return it to a whipped consistency. Nutrition boost: Add a layer of salad greens to your bowl before assembling, or fold some shredded carrots into each bowl. For the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas, add in a scoop of hemp seeds/hearts when you add the panko.
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1Gather: uncooked quinoa , low-sodium vegetable broth or water , Kosher salt , Herby Lentils , Tofu Ricotta , Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots . For the crunchy garlicky pepitas: extra virgin olive oil , fat garlic cloves , panko breadcrumbs , coriander seeds , pepitas , red pepper flakes , Flaky sea salt.
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2Rinse the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve, then drain. Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan, then add the quinoa (if using water, add a pinch of salt). Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, until the liquid has evaporated and quinoa is tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Open the pot and fluff with a fork. Drain off any excess liquid. For the best texture, transfer to a sheet pan and spread out.
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3While the quinoa cooks, take the Herby Lentils (see Note 1), Tofu Ricotta, and Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots out of the fridge, and prepare your side salad (if you’re making one).
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4Make the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas. Add the olive oil to a cold medium frying pan and spread out so the pan is lightly coated. Add the sliced garlic and turn the heat to medium. Gently cook, stirring occasionally and separating the slices with a spatula, until the garlic is just starting to get some color, about 2 minutes. Add the panko, crushed coriander, and pepitas, and cook for 2-3 minutes , or until the panko starts to turn golden, stirring frequently. If the garlic starts to brown, lower the heat. In the last 30 seconds, add the red pepper flakes (if using) and a big pinch of flaky sea salt. Take off the heat immediately and pour onto a plate to stop cooking.
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5Divide the quinoa and Herby Lentils among bowls. Dollop each with a generous scoop of Tofu Ricotta, and divide most of the Crunchy Garlicky Pepitas among the bowls. Spoon some Quick Pickled Chiles and Shallots onto each bowl, including some of the pickling liquid. For extra richness, drizzle on a bit of olive oil. Serve with your side salad, if you made one.