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
- 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)
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).
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*
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%