Quinoa-Stuffed Tomatoes
Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) is a grain native to South America; children will have fun eating quinoa out of a hollowed-out tomato
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 4 ServingsServings
Ingredients
- 4 medium tomatoes, rinsed (2½ inches)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup cooked mixed vegetables—such as peppers, corn, carrots, or peas (leftover Friendly)
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed*
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ ripe avocado, peeled and diced
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, rinsed, dried and chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350 ºF.
- Cut off the tops of the tomatoes and hollow out the insides. (The pulp can be saved for use in tomato soup or sauce, or salsa.) Set tomatoes aside.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, and cook until they begin to soften, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add cooked vegetables, and heat through, about another 1–2 minutes.
- Add quinoa, and cook gently until it smells good, about 2 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid and is fully cooked, about 7–10 minutes
- When the quinoa is cooked, remove the lid and gently fluff quinoa with a fork. Gently mix in the avocado, pepper, and parsley.
- Carefully stuff about ¾ cup of quinoa into each tomato.
- Place tomatoes on a baking sheet, and bake for about 15–20 minutes, or until tomatoes are hot throughout (tomatoes may be stuffed in advance and baked later).
- Serve immediately.
* Unprocessed quinoa must be washed thoroughly before it is used to remove a powdery coating called saponin, which has an unpleasant and bitter taste. Check your package for rinsing instructions.
