If you are looking for an easy meal packed with ingredients that will leave you feeling great, you are going to love this Cajun Quinoa Pilaf! It is a no-fuss one-pan dinner that is protein-packed and full of flavor.
Have you ever had periods of your life where you feel like you vacillate between reality and living in your own little world? This is one of those times for me.
I suppose it is just part of having a little one under three months old in the house, but it kind of has taken me off guard all the same. I look at my husband and I wonder what it is like for him to still have some semblance of normal. He still gets up, goes in his office, closes the door and works all day. He talks to adults and uses his normal voice and everything.
Now I'm not saying his world hasn't changed or implying in any way that he isn't doing a lot for baby girl, because that isn't the case. It's just that his daily rhythms still resemble normal, while my entire world has changed.
Some days I manage to check my email, respond to comments or hop on Twitter or Facebook. Other times, however, a couple of days go by and I think...hmmm...I wonder what's going on out there. I realize that I've been so unplugged that the world could have slipped into another orbit and as long as it hadn't impacted what was going on inside my house I wouldn't have know it.
I wouldn't trade these delicious days of kissing little toes and making a fool of myself for the sake of a smile for anything. (For the record, I can't sing or dance. She doesn't seem to mind.) My favorite times are the quiet ones when she's curled up next to me with a full tummy. She looks into my eyes with complete trust and I feel like my heart is going to explode. Often at least one of the boys is curled up next to us. Those are the moments that I wish I could slow down. They will be gone too quickly and I will never be walking down this road again. It's heart melting, exhilarating and bittersweet all at once.
I would say that I'm sorry for my neglect, but that wouldn't be honest. So, I won't apologize for being away for the last little bit. I know you Mommies understand.
I will say that I miss you. I miss talking to you on Twitter and Facebook and responding to your wonderful comments. I also miss my time in the kitchen. In the last week Skye's naps have begun to stretch, so I'm hoping I can start to find my new normal soon.
In the meantime, I actually have a new recipe of mine to share with you today. Shocking, isn't it?
This Cajun Quinoa Pilaf is an easy meal that will work for vegans and carnivores alike. I used Tempeh Sausage (before I knew that soy was a trigger for Skye) which was fabulous, but any sausage will do. After I made it I realized that it could use a bit more color, so I'd recommend using a red pepper instead of green.
Cajun Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients
- 1 red onion chopped fine
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 1 ¼ cups vegetable broth
- 8 ounces sausage vegan field roast or tempeh sausage
- 1 red pepper chopped (or green bell pepper)
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried parsely or ¼ cup fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
Instructions
- Spray a large saucepan with olive oil spray and heat to medium. Add onion and cook for 8 minutes. Add quinoa, garlic, and Cajun seasoning and cook for 2 more minutes. Add vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit for 5 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, spray a large skillet with olive oil and heat to medium. Add sausage and cook until brown and cooked through. Add pepper, celery, parsley and thyme and cook for about 8 minutes. Add cooked quinoa and cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve warm.
Shannon Graham
I love everything cajun flavored! This looks delish!