Quinoa with Spiced Apples, Carrots, and Red Onions

Adapted from a recipe on the Tasting Table, this dish is a simple, yet elegant way to pair lemon-scented quinoa with roasted, spiced apples, carrots, and red onions. It is the mixture of ground cardamom and coriander that gives way to an aromatic winter dish.

Quinoa with Spiced Apples, Carrots, and Red Onions
Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 3/4 tsp sea salt, divided
• 6 medium carrots, peeled; halved lengthwise and sliced on a bias into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium apples, halved; cored and sliced into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• zest of 1/2 lemon plus 2 tsp of lemon juice (a Microplane grater is best for this)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425-degrees. In a small bowl, stir together cardamom, coriander, pepper, and 1.5 tsp salt. In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, add the carrots, apples, red onions, and olive oil. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine.

In a 9-inch baking dish, add the quinoa and spread into an even layer. Place the quinoa and vegetables in the oven. Toast the quinoa until fragrant and golden, about 8 minutes, then pour 2 cups water over the quinoa and loosely cover the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil. Cook the quinoa until it uncoils and looks fluffy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the quinoa from the oven, fluff with a fork, recover with foil and set aside.

Meanwhile, continue to roast the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until the onions start to blacken around the edges and carrots are tender, about 30 minutes total. Transfer to a serving dish.

Transfer the quinoa to a serving dish as well if you like. Stir in the remaining 1/4 tsp salt along with lemon zest and lemon juice, then the parsley. Serve roasted vegetables on top or alongside the quinoa.