Quinoa Bowl + Herby Oil

““We think that the point is to pass the test or overcome the problem, but the truth is that things don’t really get solved. They come together and they fall apart. Then they come together again and fall apart again. It’s just like that. The healing comes from letting there be room for all of this to happen: room for grief, for relief, for misery, for joy.”
”

— PEMA CHÖDRÖN

Quinoa Bowl + Herby Oil
serves 4, adapted from Bowl and Spoon by Sara Forte

Herb oil: 
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TBS parsley
3 TBS chives
zest of 2 lemons
sea salt

Bowl: 
1 large bunch of kale, torn into bite sized pieces
1 small butternut squash (about 1.5 lbs), chopped into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 red onion, diced
5 garlic cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly ground
extra virgin olive oil
1 cup quinoa, dried
juice of 1 lemon
1 cup Manchego, shaved
4 fried pastured eggs
sea salt

Preheat oven to 400' and put rack in upper third. Cut three garlic cloves in half lengthwise. Toss squash with garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, a good pinch of salt and generous drizzle of olive oil. Place on cookie sheet and roast 20-25 minutes until golden brown and tender. Pick out garlic cloves (optional). While the squash roasts, make quinoa. 

Soak quinoa in water for 5 minutes and drain. In a medium saucepan, heat a small drizzle of olive oil. When warm, add quinoa and sauté until water has evaporated. Add 1 3/4 cups of water, a big pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and bring heat down to low. Cook for 20 minutes. 

For herb oil, combine olive oil and herbs in a small food processor. Blend until smooth and stir in lemon zest and season to taste. 

Mince the remaining garlic cloves. Heat two good glugs of olive oil in a wide sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook until beginning to soften. Add garlic and stir a minute. Add kale and quinoa and saute until quinoa gets a bit crunchy, about 5-6 minutes. Take pan off heat and mix in squash, most of the herb oil (reserve a few tablespoons for eggs), and squeeze lemon juice over the top. Taste for seasoning, adding more lemon juice or salt, if needed.  

Fill each bowl with a portion of quinoa and top with Manchego, fried egg and drizzle of herb oil. Enjoy.