Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Spinach & Feta Quinoa

This garlic and chive-infused quinoa with smooth, slightly melted feta cheese and spinach throughout will accompany almost any entree and can easily be turned into a meal by throwing in some chopped up, plainly cooked chicken breast.
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time40 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 153kcal

Ingredients

  • 172 g quinoa (uncooked, rinsed thoroughly. Seriously, rinse it really good, otherwise it will end up tasting bitter) - for IBS, avoid whole grain. Use white quinoa instead
  • 1+1/2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp. salt (I use Pink Rose Himalayan Salt)
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic-infused olive oil (see notes section regarding this product)
  • 1/4 cup+1 Tbsp. fresh chives (chopped)
  • 60 g baby spinach (raw) - 60g = ~4 unpacked cups or ~2 packed cups
  • 2 oz crumbled feta cheese (try and find one that is relatively low fat. The one I used and that was used for calculating nutritional information below is this one)

Instructions

  • Place the quinoa, water and salt in a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-high heat until it just begins to boil.
  • When it starts to boil, cover the pan, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 15 minutes.
  • When the quinoa has ~5 minutes left to cook, heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat.
  • When the oil is heated, add the chives and spinach and cook, stirring constantly, until spinach wilts.
  • At this point the quinoa should be done. Remove the lid and fluff up the quinoa, then add in the spinach/chive mixture and the feta cheese and stir to incorporate everything and melt some of the cheese.
  • Serve this as a side dish to accompany your favorite entree or eat by itself as a meal as is for vegetarians or, for non-vegetarians, feel free to throw in a little chopped-up cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast (no more than 3g for IBS).

Notes

For IBS/GERD:
  • Garlic-infused olive oil is safe for IBS/Low FODMAP, but is not necessarily safe for everyone with GERD/Acid Reflux. I haven't been able to find any research as to how this product is tolerated by those with GERD/Acid Reflux. However, my own GERD/Acid Reflux was severe and garlic was at the top of the list of problem ingredients for me, yet I'm able to use the garlic-infused olive oil with no problem. Just be careful if you have GERD/Acid Reflux. Try a small quantity of this dish and don't eat any other questionable ingredients or ingredients you know bother your GERD/Acid Reflux for a day or 2. If you get through a couple days with no issue then you should be safe to use it in your cooking. If you do have a problem, simply use regular olive oil for this recipe. It will still be delicious, it just won't have the garlic flavor to it.
[nutrition-label]*Information above is based on the specific brands/types of ingredients I used (as one example, pink himalayan sea salt is lower sodium than regular salt). Values vary if using any other brands/types of ingredients.*
*The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.*

*Back to Top of Page*

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 283mg | Potassium: 164mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0g | Vitamin A: 40% | Vitamin C: 15% | Calcium: 8% | Iron: 19%