Roasted Sweet Potato with Quinoa

Vegetarian. A word that instils a sense of pride and respect in some, while leaving others with the thought, “but what about bacon?”.  I will admit transitioning from a meat-centred diet to having a vegetable be the star can often pose a challenge. That is why the idea of Meatless Monday is the perfect ease into Veggie-land. The thing to remember is that eating vegetarian doesn’t mean that you sit down to a big ol’ plate of broccoli every night. Instead, it’s an opportunity to try to see food beyond meat and potatoes- add spices, throw a dash of something exotic in the pot, the possibilities are endless.

For my first Meatless Monday recipe, I wanted to showcase one of my favourite vegetables, sweet potatoes. They are like mashed potatoes crazy distant cousin, sitting off to the side at Thanksgiving covered in marshmallows, making everyone wonder is it dessert or is it a vegetable?  It is finally time for the sweet potato side kick to be the star of the show.

An important thing to remember about Meatless Monday is do not forget the protein. We want to feel full instead of feeling the desire to eat cake five minutes later. There are a plethora of vegetarian friendly, protein rich ingredients you can add to your meal: beans, cheese, eggs, lentils, tofu (the list goes on). I chose quinoa for this recipe as the earthy grain pairs well with the bright creaminess of the sweet potato. Go ahead and give it a try, I bet you will be surprised with this one!

[kindred-recipe id=”1490″ title=”Roasted Sweet Potato with Quinoa”]