Rob's Old Bay Quinoa/Lentils

One of my favorite things to make for myself when I'm cooking just for me is a pot of quinoa mixed with lentils seasoned — of course — with Old Bay®. Other than the fact that it's delicious, filling, and good for me, it's a dish that not only scales (I can make enough for one meal or cook enough to reheat all week), but the basic format of the recipe is a great platform to which I can add other vegetables, a little more spice, or even serve with chicken or fish. A following post will describe a variation on this theme, the one that I am preparing for myself today.
You'll see in the photo that I am using what looks like tri-color lentils, because I just pour the 3 different kinds of lentils I buy into one container for storage.

I also recommend either the red or the tri-color quinoa. I don't like the grassy taste of the white quinoa. You might. I encourage you to experiment!
(Recipe after the jump)

Rob's Basic Old Bay® Quinoa/Lentils (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Old Bay® (to start; keep your can handy)
• 1/2 cup lentils
• 1/2 cup tri-color quinoa
• 1/4 cup chopped onion or 1/8 cup dried onion
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup water (or a second cup of broth, your call)
• 1/2 tbsp tomato paste

Directions

• Pour the olive oil into the pot in which you normally make rice.
• Put the pot on the stove at medium heat.
• As the oil warms, add the Old Bay® and stir it in to the oil.
• When the Old Bay® is combined with the olive oil, add the quinoa and lentils.
• Stir everything until the quinoa and lentils are even coated by the oil and Old Bay® mixture.
• Now stir the contents of the pot occasionally, to brown the mixture.
• Add in the onion while you are stirring.
• If you are using dried onion, splash in a little of the vegetable broth.
• When the onions are wilted (or the dried onion have absorbed the broth), pour in the rest of the broth and stir the mixture well.
• Turn the heat up to high, continuing to stir the mixture.
• When the pot begins to boil, add the cup of water and the tomato paste.
• Stir the pot to dissolve the tomato paste and continue stirring occasionally until the pot comes to a rolling boil.
• When you have a good boil cut the heat back to low, cover, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
• ---
• After 30 minutes remove the pot from the heat and let it rest for at least 5 minutes; longer if there's other stuff to do; sitting there will not hurt it, only make it better.
• After resting for at least 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir the pot well to remix the contents.
• Taste the pot. If it does not have enough Old Bay® flavor for you, grab that can you kept handy and shake some more in, stirring it up.

You can add almost anything to this, or just eat it by itself! I highly recommend some avocado chunks. Possibly also some salt to taste, if you are someone who likes a lot of salt (I do).