Quinoa Paella with Roasted Artichoke Hearts

It's been over two weeks since I last shared a quinoa recipe. That's long enough, don't you think? I have a hard time calling these dishes "recipes", because simmering quinoa in broth for fifteen minutes and adding some sort of vegetable to it hardly counts as a recipe. But I also know that there are some of you who are just starting to cook your own meals and I can't just tell you to "make the quinoa and add some goodies to it."

This one is inspired by a Spanish paella. It's not going to win any authenticity awards or earn me the keys to the city of Valencia, but I want to call it a quinoa paella and you just can't stop me.

Fine, I'll call it "paella-style" quinoa. Happy? *frowns*


This recipe calls for saffron, which is impossibly expensive, and I have a little jar that Mr. Wing-It bought me two Christmases ago that I keep saving "for a special occasion." I'm not sure for what sort of special occasion I think I need to save it. The Queen of Spain coming to visit? Yes, we want to make sure Her Majesty has a 100% satisfactory visit when she comes to visit.

Here's a tip for those of you who have a TJ Maxx nearby - they usually sell saffron and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, it only costs two phalanges of your choice! Score! You can also use a pinch of turmeric if you don't have saffron. Just a little bit for color, we're not making a curry.

If you want to make this a whole meal you can throw in a vegan sausage. Vegan chorizo would be ideal if you can find it or make it yourself, but really any sausage would work. If you want to stick a kielbasa sausage in there no one can to stop you. Not even Her Royal Highness.

Finally, if you have a paella pan, that will earn you some nice brownie points with the queen too. Or flan points. Sadly, I don't have a paella pan so a regular eight-inch frying pan with a lid was my inappropriate cooking vessel, but you can use a saucepan or a small pot too.

To sum up, I have totally violated the integrity of the authentic Spanish paella.


Paella-Style Quinoa With Roasted Artichoke Hearts

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Vegan

Author: Wing It Vegan

Prep time:

Cook time:

Total time:

Serves: 2 servings


Ingredients:

8oz / 225g frozen artichoke hearts
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and black pepper
1 purple onion, sliced or chopped
1/2 medium sized green bell pepper
1/2 medium sized red and/or yellow bell pepper, sliced or chopped
1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 cup chicken-style broth or vegetable broth
1 generous pinch of saffron threads


What To Do:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. If you want to save yourself a dirty dish, use the saucepan or frying pan that you're going to use to make the quinoa to toss the artichoke hearts in about a tablespoon of olive oil. If you don't care about dirty dishes, you can do this in a mixing bowl.

  2. Place the oil-coated artichoke hearts in a roasting pan and lightly sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping them over half-way through.

  3. Now we prepare the quinoa while the artichoke hearts roast. If you used the saucepan or frying pan to toss the artichokes in the olive oil, make sure there are no bits of artichokes left in there or they will burn. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil in your saucepan or frying pan, throw in the onions and bell peppers and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until softened. Pour a small splash of broth here and there if your onions want to stick to the bottom of the pan.

  4. When that's done, throw in the garlic and cook for another minute or two.

  5. Throw in the quinoa, the broth, and the saffron and stir well. If your broth is salted you're probably good to go, if not you will need to add salt to taste.

  6. Cover, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

  7. Remove from heat, top with your roasted artichoke hearts, drizzle a bit extra olive oil on top if you want, and enjoy!

Notes:

* If you want to make this a whole meal, throw in a vegan sausage for good measure. If you can find or make a chorizo-style sausage that would be ideal. 

* If you don't have saffron you can use a pinch of turmeric for color.


Quick question before I say adiós: how do you like the comments section in this new blog layout? I'm not being sly and asking you so that you will leave a comment, I am actually wondering if those of you who do stop by to leave me messages would like me to change anything. Or am I actually being sly? You'll never know! Ten points for Slytherin!

Comments

  1. Ooooh, this looks so great! I love quinoa and I love paella and yes, this looks simple enough for me to actually make!

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  2. I'm calling it Paella - it looks authentic enough to me, haha ;) What counts is the flavor!

    I love the comments section - easy to use!

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  3. It is quite simple! That's what I love the most about quinoa, I think. It's so simple to cook that it's hard to ruin it. I am ashamed to admit that I cannot cook rice to save my life. It's always either undercooked or super pasty because I cooked it too long. Quinoa always works out! :)

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  4. Yay! I'm glad you like the comments section! I want to keep the blog easy to use and hassle-free.

    I'm gonna tell the Queen of Spain that you called it paella too if she confronts me about it. The power of the masses! :)

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  5. I think the Queen would approve - how could she snub such a beautiful meal! The comment layout is great, clean and simple. I had to google 'phalanges' - you are twisted ;)

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  6. You warned me about the capsicum, but after you spoke so fluently in Australia I had to come and see it anyway. ;)
    And I am excellent and substituting for the devil vegetable of doom and disgust.

    I find your comment section very easy!

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  7. Phalanges is a funny word! I think it started with FRIENDS and Lisa Kudrow's character calling herself "Regina Phalange". It just cracks me up. I used to watch Bones too, and whenever Dr. Brennan uses the word "phalanges" out of the forensic anthropology context, that also cracks me up.

    I'm glad you approve of the comment layout! Thanks for the feedback, Lysette!

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  8. I am getting to be very fluent in Australian. I think I'm ready to become an Australian dialect coach for famous actors now. Mr. Wing-It, we're moving to Hollywood!

    The devil vegetable of doom and disgust? Come on, tell us how you really feel about it. Don't hold back! :)

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  9. I love artichokes so much - roasted artichokes look amazing.

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  10. Me too! I wish they weren't so expensive at our grocery store so I could eat them more often. Why can't they be a buck a bag like frozen peas or carrots? Why?! WHY?! :)

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  11. I love paella, but I'm also vegetarian! Some of my favorite Spanish restaurants make paella, but I'm never able to replicate it at home. This recipe, with the addition of artichoke hearts, seems like the perfect solution! I also feel like I could make this for dinner on the regular, since it's made with quinoa instead of starchy white rice. Will be doing this soon. Thank you for sharing!

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  12. I hope you like it, Bhiravi! Spanish restaurants should offer a vegetarian alternative. All they have to do is not add seafood to it and slap on some extra veggies and we'd be happy! :)

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  13. You are hilarious! I loved this whole post, and when the Queen visits you, I have no doubt that she'll forgive your egregious transgressions. People always talk about the high cost of saffron, but since each dish just requires a tiny pinch, and I'm not making paella non-stop, my little jar has lasted years. (The Queen would probably tell me to throw out my old jar of saffron and start over, but that's why she's not getting an invite to my house.)

    The comment section works great for me. No problems! Oh, and the paella looks delicious - especially those wedges of artichokes.

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  14. Thanks, Cadry! If you don't tell the Queen about my old saffron, I won't tell her about yours! :D

    A little big of saffron goes a long way indeedy. That's how I feel about my fancy black truffle sea salt too. I don't use the stuff on everything, so it lasts forever. Unfortunately, I've had it for so long that is has lost most of its truffliness.

    Thanks for the feedback about the comment section!

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  15. […] Wing It Vegan – Paella-Style Quinoa With Roasted Artichoke Hearts […]

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  16. CAn this be made in advance - perhaps a day earlier?
    Thanks

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    1. Hi! I don't see why not, except that maybe the artichoke may be a bit soggy the day after. Were you thinking about reheating this dish in the microwave? If so, I would probably reheat the artichokes separately in a frying pan with a little bit of oil instead. Just to keep them from being soggy. I hope that helps!

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  17. did you thaw the artichoke hearts before roasting, or did you throw them in frozen? Thanks!

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