Quinoa Donburi and Mini Bento


The Beefy Crumble when sautéed with the soy sauce and grapeseed oil tastes similar to a sweet sausage. (The good news is the No-Beef Beefy Crumble is gluten-free and contains no cholesterol!) The soy sauce contrasts nicely with the Beefy Crumble.

If you can get a hold of Satsuma Mandarin balsamic vinegar, do so. The citrus flavor enhances the squeeze of lemon juice in the crumble.

This recipe makes enough for one generous serving for a donburi rice bowl and one mini Japanese bento lunch box.

Ingredients: 
  • ½ cup quinoa
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 1 cup Beyond Meat Beefy Beef-Free Crumble
  • 2½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 cups Chinese cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 1 or 2 large purple cauliflower florets
  • 7 small slices of Japanese daikon radish
  • 5 medium slices of yellow zucchini
  • 1½ -2 tablespoons Satsuma Mandarin balsamic vinegar (or balsamic vinegar with a drop or two of lemon or lime juice)
Directions: 

Bring water, quinoa and 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil to a boil. Stir. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 12 minutes (or until the liquid is absorbed.) Remove from the stove. Let the quinoa rest for 5 minutes. Fluff.

In a large skillet, sauté the Beefy Crumble with the soy sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil.

Lightly steam the cabbage, cauliflower and Japanese daikon radish along with the zucchini. Drain in a colander.

Scoop mounds of quinoa into a bowl for donburi, into a bento box for a mini lunch treat. Arrange the Beefy Crumbles and vegetables atop the bowl and bento box. Sprinkle with the balsamic vinegar.