Mark Bittman’s recent column on roasting winter vegetables inspired this simple, yet very fulfilling meal. I chopped a few small carrots, one parsnip, some sunchokes (aka Jerusalem artichokes), and a sweet potato. I added a few whole garlic cloves (with skin), drizzled some olive oil, sprinkled some fleur de sel, black pepper, oregano and roasted them in the oven, pre-heated to 450 F for about half an hour.

Meanwhile I cooked a cup of quinoa with half a cup of dried cranberries in 1 1/2 cup of salted water. While the quinoa cooked (it takes about 15 mins) I roasted a handful of walnuts and chopped a half cup of fresh parsley.

In a cast iron skillet, I stir fried a red onion in a tablespoon grapeseed oil (or any plain vegetable oil). When the onions were translucent, I added a small purple cabbage, chopped, and two tablespoons tamari sauce. I cooked it for a few minutes (I like it crunchy so I sauteed it only till it warmed through) and then mixed in 1tbsp toasted sesame oil, a few dashes ume plum vinegar, and sprinkled some sesame seeds. I then removed it from the heat and set it aside.

When the quinoa absorbed all the water, I let it sit for 5 mins, and then mixed in the chopped parsley, chopped walnuts, and seasoned with a few dashes of ume vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.I also added a bit more olive oil and some balsamic vinegar to the roasted vegetables.

This is what I had on Friday:

Quinoa salad with Lentils, carrot & beet salad, kale salad, and red rice ball. The place inspired me so much that I bought some millet at Kensington the next day and made this for lunch: