Quinoa & Roast‑Vegetable Bowl with Feta

Here’s a delicious, climate‑friendly vegetarian lunch recipe for COP30‑aware readers – using easy‑to‑find ingredients in mainstream Australian supermarkets.

Mediterranean Quinoa & Roast‑Vegetable Bowl with Feta
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup (180 g) quinoa, rinsed
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock
1 medium eggplant, diced
1 large red capsicum, diced
1 zucchini, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
1 handful cherry tomatoes, halved

Method

Preheat oven to 200 °C (180 °C fan).
Place the diced eggplant, red capsicum and zucchini on a baking‑sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle dried oregano, salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until tender and lightly charred.
Meanwhile, bring the vegetable stock to the boil in a saucepan, add the quinoa, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 12‑15 minutes until the quinoa has absorbed the liquid. Fluff with a fork.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, roasted vegetables, halved cherry tomatoes, lemon juice and crumbled feta. Toss gently.
Garnish with fresh parsley if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Why it’s great
Quinoa plus vegetables equals fibre, protein and nutrients in one bowl.
Minimally processed, whole‑food ingredients that you can find at mainstream supermarkets.
Suitable for vegetarian lunches that support sustainability themes tied to COP30 (less meat, more plant‑based).
Easy to make, with roasting and cooking steps simple and low‑stress.
Flexible: you can swap vegetables depending on seasonality or what’s on special.

Pro tip
If you’d like a bit more variety, add some chickpeas (one drained can) for extra protein. Or swap feta for goat’s cheese if you prefer. A drizzle of extra olive oil or a handful of toasted pine nuts adds a little indulgence without fuss.