Healthy Summer Garden Style Quinoa Recipe

We thought we’d bring you a couple of quick and yummy meals this week to celebrate all of the produce that’s exploding in your gardens (or in the produce aisle, at least).

First this Summer Garden Style Quinoa. Corn, avocado, bell pepper, and of course…….bacon. You can whip it up in less than a half an hour, and it doesn’t take a lot of time over the stove, which for me right now, is crucial. Can you tell it’s been a little hot here lately?

Quinoa is so versatile because you can use it as a main course (because it’s so filling), or you can always just put it on the side with a nice serving of grilled meat. Enjoy and yay for summer produce!

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Summer Garden Style Quinoa

Course Main Course or Side

Cuisine Classic

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 -4 servings

Author Tammy Blankenship

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa dry quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 4 slices bacon
• 3 cup corn on the cobs or one frozen corn, warmed, cooked and sliced off cob
• 1 large avocado diced
• 1 inch large bell pepper diced into half squares
• 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper to taste
• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes
• Yield: 2-4 servings

Instructions

1. Place 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, pour in quinoa.
2. Toast for 1-2 minutes.
3. Pour in water, turn down to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender and forms little tails.
4. Meanwhile, cook bacon until it reaches desired level of crispiness (for me, that is super dark).
5. Once bacon has cooled slightly, give it a rough chop.
6. Toss quinoa into a bowl with the bacon, corn, avocado and bell pepper.
7. Top with the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
8. Toss gently and serve warm.