Gluten-Free Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini with Quinoa and Feta

Easily glamorize the wholesome pantry staple quinoa by adding some fresh grilled vegetables, a perky lemon-kissed dressing, and a sprinkling of cheese and crunchy pinenuts. Leftovers make for a fantastic future meal, too.

Servings 6

Calories 247 kcal

Author Niki Ford

Ingredients

1 pound baby zucchini, ends trimmed
1 pound baby eggplant or Japanese eggplant, ends trimmed
3/4 cup red quinoa, rinsed
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Halve the zucchini and eggplant lengthwise, then cut each half diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. Reserve separately.
In a small pot, combine the quinoa with 1-1/2 cups water and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook, covered, for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
In a bowl, toss the eggplant with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, toss the zucchini with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Grill the vegetables until tender and browned in some places, turning once halfway through, about 10 minutes total for the zucchini and 12 to 15 minutes total for the eggplant. Mound the vegetables on a plate so they continue cooking a bit while they cool.
In a small bowl, season the quinoa with a few pinches of salt, 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and the lemon zest. Spread the quinoa out in a thin layer on a serving platter.
In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice. In another bowl, combine the zucchini and eggplant. Drizzle the vegetables with the oil-lemon dressing and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt.
Arrange the roasted vegetables over the quinoa, garnish with the parsley, feta, and pine nuts, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Gluten-Free Grilled Eggplant and Zucchini with Quinoa and Feta

Amount Per Serving

Calories 247 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 6mg2%

Sodium 76mg3%

Potassium 683mg20%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 5g21%

Sugar 3g3%

Protein 7g14%

Vitamin A 625IU13%

Vitamin C 31mg38%

Calcium 67mg7%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.