Imagine what life could be like if food choices, cooking, and eating were easy parts of our lives. 

Imagine how we would feel with consistent nourishing choices that fuel our deepest desires for a healthy, radiant body.

Imagine how feeling amazing in your skin would ripple outward into your life—your relationships, your career, your desire to move and dance.

It can be as easy as taking things one meal, one day, at a time.

When everything else in life feels like it’s spinning faster than we might like, sometimes going back to basics—eating well, sleeping well, breathing—is all we need to focus on.

With the basics in mind, here’s a quick recipe that’s perfect for the colder months, designed to energize you from the inside out.

Superfood Quinoa Pilaf.

This is a super quick, easy, and inexpensive recipe we can throw together after a long day. It makes enough for leftovers or the next day’s lunch. It’s also an excellent source of plant-based protein that will provide us with lots of energy, without weighing heavy on the stomach.

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: about six

What you’ll need:

1-2 Tbsp coconut or olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 carrots, sliced into rounds
1 cup sliced almonds or pine nuts (optional)
½ cup raisins

2 tsp mild curry powder
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp sea salt
4 cups chopped kale
4-5 cups cooked and completely cooled quinoa (or brown rice)
Juice of 1 small lemon

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes.

Then, add the sliced carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes. Adjust the temperature, so as to allow the onions to still cook but not brown.

Add the almonds, currants, spices, and salt—and sauté 5 minutes more.

Add the kale. (Note: it is best if your kale is still dripping wet from rinsing when adding it to the pot. The extra water will help it to cook.)

Sauté about 5 minutes or until kale is tender.

Then, add cooked quinoa and stir together over low heat. Add a few tablespoons of water if the pilaf seems dry. An extra tablespoon of oil will also help prevent the quinoa from sticking to the pan.

Remove from heat, and add the lemon juice. Stir together, taste, and adjust salt and seasonings if needed.

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Relephant:

My Favorite Thing to Do With Quinoa. {Vegan, Gluten Free Recipe}

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Author: Stephanie Burg 
Image: Flickr/Courtney Boyd Myers; author’s own
Editor: Yoli Ramazzina
Copy Editor: Callie Rushton
Social Editor: Waylon Lewis