These quinoa fennel boats taste amazingly uncommon. They're both: a treat for your taste buds and eyes.
In a fine colander, rinse quinoa thoroughly. Then add to a pot with the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let cook for a few minutes. Once again reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let simmer for a few minutes. Total cook time will be around 15 minutes (or according to package instructions).
Cut fennel bulbs in halves. Hollow out the halves, making some room for the quinoa stuffing. Finely mince what you took out of the fennel and keep it for later use.
Sauée onion and garlic in a pan (use may want to use some frying oil, alternatively add a splash of veggie broth or simply water). Add carrots, minced fennel, zucchini and bell pepper and let stew for about 10 minutes, stirring every now and then.
By the end of the time fold in quinoa.
Blanch fennel by add it to a large pot filled with boiling water and let cook in simmering water for about 8 minutes.
Take fennel boats out and place into a casserole dish or something similar.
Fill with quinoa stuffing and serve just like that or roast in the oven for about 15 minutes at 350° F (180° C). If you do so, you may want to coat fennel boats with some oil since they may be coriaceous as they lose some water when baking.
Optionally toast some pine nuts in a pan without any oil and sprinkle over fennel boats.
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