Just as you might use left-over rice, this is a tasty, quick and healthy way to use up left-over quinoa. Absolutely no need to be precise with these ingredients / quantities – like fried rice you can throw in anything you want and it’s easy to adapt for vegetarian / vegan (i.e. leave out the anchovy, chorizo & egg), or add whatever leftovers you have (cooked chicken, seafood, roast veges, etc).

Here’s my staple version which contains ingredients that I always have on hand – this is a particular favourite of mine for a weekend brekki.

Serves 1

ingredients

  • 1 fresh egg (preferably free range organic)
  • 1 Tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 anchovy fillets (or 1 tsp tamari)
  • 1/2 cup chopped green shallots (or red onions or spring onions or any onions really)
  • ½ chorizo / Lap Chong (Chinese) sausage, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cold cooked quinoa
  • few drops of sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • a few kale leaves, finely sliced
  • white pepper (to taste)

method

  1. Carefully crack your egg into a ramekin and put a small sauce of water on the stove on medium*
  2. Heat oil in a fry pan/wok over medium heat & add the garlic, anchovy, onion and sausage and cook until soft. Remove from the pan.
  3. Turn the heat up and add the cold quinoa to the hot fry-pan along with the sesame oil and stir occasionally until heated through / the quinoa starts to catch
  4. Add back cooked garlic/anchovy/onion/chorizo and stir through the quinoa along with the Chinese five-spice and chilli flakes
  5. Toss in frozen peas and kale, and stir to combine until the peas are thawed
  6. Check seasoning and add pepper to taste
  7. Once the water is boiling gently, carefully slide the egg into the water and leave 3 mins (for runny yolk) or 4 mins (for hard yolk)*
  8. Transfer quinoa mix into a bowl and place the poached egg on top with a slotted spoon

*Tip: If you’d prefer not to poach your egg, this dish is equally as yum if you shred up a fried egg and mix it through.