Quinoa Week Meal Prep & Cuban Fried Quinoa with Tempeh

Unspecific Meal Prep

This week we will make a bulk batch of quinoa (4 cups) to use in 4 different recipes. I like to call this unspecific meal prepping. Unspecific meal prepping saves time, so I won’t have to make quinoa 4 separate times this week. But the best thing about this type of meal prepping is that it doesn’t force you to eat the same recipe 4 days in a row. Sometimes I hate that about meal prepping because I like the freedom to choose the flavor/cuisine I’m craving that day. I always want eating healthy and losing weight to feel fun and free for me, not like I’m forcing myself to eat things I don’t want.

Cuban Fried Quinoa with Tempeh Recipe

Tempeh Recipe Ingredients

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons pineapple juice

1 tablespoon coconut aminos

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sprinkle of cumin and paprika

1 (8-ounce) package of tempeh, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Marinate the tempeh in the ingredients above for 30 mins. Then begin preparing the quinoa…

Quinoa Recipe Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 medium pineapple, cored, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

2 green onions, sliced

1 bunch of cilantro for garnish

1 lime juice for garnish

1/4 of pepitas or pumpkin seeds

Rinse your quinoa 3 times then cook in the vegetable broth like you would rice. Takes about 30 mins.

Place 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tempeh cubes; save excess marinade for end of recipe.

Cook the tempeh until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the tempeh from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Return the skillet to the stovetop.

Arrange the pineapple slices in the skillet and cook until tender and browned, about three minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate, then return the skillet to the stovetop.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to skillet, cook pepitas for 3 mins until they pop. Put on plate to the side.

Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, along with the onion, bell pepper, garlic and jalapeño. Sauté until the onion and pepper just begin to soften a bit, about 3 minutes. Add the quinoa, beans, pineapple, and cooked tempeh to skillet and cook for another few minutes to incorporate, tossing frequently. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Plate your quinoa. Top with cilantro, green onions, lime juice, pepitas, and left over tempeh marinade.