Coconut Quinoa Bowl Recipe
What you're looking at is a quirky, unique bowl of quinoa, with a couple of secrets. And the next time you have leftover quinoa (other other favorite grain) give it a try - coconut, garlic, almonds, kale, topped with salted yogurt and avocado.
I'm looking at the photo I'm posting here, and realizing it looks like a good number of quinoa bowls I've posted in the past. But the photo doesn't tell the whole story, so I hope you'll look at it with fresh eyes. What you're looking at is a quirky, unique bowl of quinoa, with a couple of secrets. And the next time you have leftover quinoa (other other favorite grain) give it a try. You toast almonds and coconut in a skillet before adding crushed garlic. Then use the same skillet to flash cook a bit of kale, finishing it off with a dousing of lemon juice. Everything comes together in a bowl with avocado and salted yogurt.
I brought leftovers to the studio, keeping the yogurt and avocado separate until serving. The quinoa mixture was happy in a wide-mouth jar. So, it has the potential to be a good on-the-go option, if you plan a bit. It's the sort of meal you want to have at the ready if something like this runs in the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal and there are boxes to pack :) - many thanks for the highlight Charlotte.
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Coconut Quinoa Bowl
I had broccoli de ciccio flowers - or, some sort of broccoli flower -- on my counter, so I finished up with a sprinkling of those. I recognize that it's autumn and not everyone has access to edible flower - so, feel free to skip the pretty....
3 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1-2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt6-7 large kale leaves, destemmed & shredded
1 lemon
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
edible flowers (optional)
Warm the quinoa, if it's not already hot. In the meantime, make the remaining toppings. Start by stirring the salt into the yogurt, before drizzling with the olive oil. Set aside.
In a skillet over medium heat gently toast the almond slices, about half way though, add the coconut flakes to the skillet. Smash the garlic with the salt into a chunky paste, and add that to the skillet as well. Cook until the almonds and coconut are deeply golden, accented with flavor from the garlic. Transfer everything from the skillet to a small bowl, and (when cool enough) give the skillet a quick swipe with a sponge to clean it out. Add a splash of olive oil to that same skillet over medium-high heat, stir in the kale with a pinch of salt, and cook for just a minute, until the kale collapses a bit, and brightens. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over it, and transfer out of the pan immediately.
To serve, combine half of the almond coconut mixture with the quinoa in a large bowl. You can serve this individually, or family-style. Top the quinoa with the kale, plenty of the salted yogurt, and top with the remaining almond mixture, avocado, and a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Serves 4.
Prep time: 5 minutes
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I recently discovered your site. Love, Love, Love it!
What a good dinner we just had thanks to this recipe. Great combo of flavors.
Big thank you.
This sounds (and looks) delicious! I can’t wait to try this! I think even my husband, who is just so-so about quinoa (owing to me not rinsing it properly sometimes) would like it!
Heidi,
I made this for lunch today and it is simply divine. I love your ability to take the simplest ingredients and create something so perfect, delectable and sustaining. I will be eating this for the rest of the week.
I really look forward to your blogs and recipes and photos. I just wanted you to know that you are appreciated!!
Holy moley, I would never think of putting these ingredients together but it looks amazing. Will definitely be trying. I’m in Thailand, so use coconut for many many dishes, but wouldn’t have thought about putting it together with avocado. Yum.
I had no idea you could eat broccoli flowers! I guess it makes sense, now that I think of it, but I have a couple of plants in my garden that have gone to flower and now I have something to do with them–thank you!
Your bowl recipes are always my favorites – so many flavors all in one. I am so into the coconut in this quinoa bowl! Filing this one to remember to make!
i love your blog & recipes and have been a big fan for a long time! now that my household is low-FODMAP, however, I’m hoping you can share more recipes that omit grains & legumes. thank you so much for all the years of delicious meals so far! xo
Kale + coconut? Ok, I trust you!
Looks like another bowl of goodness. We just returned from Bay area, love being there, so much good food and so many good vibes so thanks for delivering as always!
This is an amazing recipe. My kinda bowl! Bec x
Looks like another bowl of goodness. We just returned from Bay area, love being there, so much good food and so many good vibes so thanks for delivering as always!
You always have a knack for presentation – and there is absolutely nothing wrong with flavourful, clean bowls of goodness, keep ’em coming! 😀 x
Yum! I love the mix of flavors in here, especially the salted yogurt. I’ve never done that before, but think it’s a brilliant idea!
Yummo! My lovely husband cooked a bit too much brown rice last night so we have a heap left…I will be trying this tomorrow for Sunday lunch! To date this is still my favorite food blog.
This looks great. There isn’t a time when we don’t have some kind of grain leftover in the fridge. I haven’t adding the coconut in part of the main meal — usually it’s in a dessert but we have adventuresome palates so this recipe is pinned. Thank you. BTW — I love Trader Joe’s organic vegetables — they are inexpensive and great. He has the Tuscany Kale and Swiss Chard 🙂 all ready cleaned and bagged!!
This sounds delightful! I love the coconut, almond and garlic mixture. Thnx for sharing!
Heidi, this looks lovely (mostly) the only thing I query is 2 teaspoons?? of olive oil? Why so little? I understand about low fat diets etc but really, this dish calls out for a good measure of flavoursome oil. I will be trying it and expect to LOVE it but you can bet there will be a more generous measure of olive oil. Thanks as always. A
HS: Hi Annie – totally feel free to add more! I just try to write up exactly how I prepare something, and I think that is where I was at with the oil for the drizzle. I wanted the yogurt to be accented, not submerged? Hope that makes sense! Happy cooking.
Wow this looks absolutely amazing. Will def. be bookmarking this for the future!
rae of love from berlin
Looks awesome!
OMG – I LOVE stuff like this! Simple, healthy, quick, and how could it not be delish!?! I’m totally trying it. Putting the quinoa on now. THANK YOU! And, a big congrats on the WSJ story! Woo hoo!
What a great flavor combination! I love the idea of adding the tangy yogurt with the lemon and avocado.
I always like to toast a few cups of walnuts and coconut to have on hand for recipes like the one above and my pedestrian vegan oatmeal cookies.
In fact at the last potluck we had here, I made a tempeh/quinoa salad and topped it off with the toasted coconut/walnut mix. The salad was a winner.
betsy shipley
Congratulations on the WSJ feature! This looks bowl looks right up my alley. I can’t wait to try it.
Can’t wait to try this! Looks like a good hearty meal for the rainy autumn day we’ll be having in NYC tomorrow. I’m under the presumption that unsweetened coconut flakes would be best for this…? Yay? Nay? Of course, Murphy’s Law, in my cupboard at the moment, all I have are sweetened. Haha.
OMG – I LOVE stuff like this! Simple, healthy, quick, and how could it not be delish!?! I’m totally trying it. Putting the quinoa on now. THANK YOU! And, a big congrats on the WSJ story! Woo hoo!
I love bowl meals packed with nutrition and flavor. The combinations are endless and this sounds like an excellent tasty one!
I am going to assume for those of us who strive to be grain-free, we could simply omit the quinoa. Maybe add a soft cooked egg?
Oh yes, this is a special quinoa bowl. Love how you use the same pan to cook and build layers of flavor and texture to the bowl. Nicely done!
This is definitely my kind of meal. Simple additions, like coconut flakes (yes!), can effortlessly enhance simple meals like this. Can’t go wrong with avocado, too. Looks delish.
Ah what a perfect bowl!
This is exactly the kind of wholesome lunch that I’d look forward to all morning, then feel energized throughout the afternoon after polishing off!
Looks Awesome, surely gonna try this out.
Simple, quick, wholesome and delicious: pure awesomeness in a bowl.
I’m totally addicted to your salad bowls! This summer I’ve been trying some of you recipes and they’ve been a success. So simple and so delicious! Keep posting more bowl recipes please!!!
GOOD stuff! I love me a quick leftover lunch recipe.
One to make as soon as my wife walks in the door tonight, back from a work trip and in need of some nourishment. Thanks Heidi, always saving the day with these great ideas! Left over quinoa in the fridge, ready to go.
lovely looking, as always.
and congrats on the WSJ piece.
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