It’s almost lunch time as I type this post. I’m hungry. I want to eat everything.
When I was looking at what was going to arrive in this week’s box, the tomatoes (“Ta-may-toh”) kinda jumped out at me. I’ve made stuffed peppers before. Why not stuffed tomatoes?! I’ve heard of other people doing it. I guess we just use our tomatoes up too quickly to get around to doing this. Tomatoes are really good for us: We’re talking lycopene (a natural antioxidant) and it’s thought to benefit the heart*!
Do we really need an excuse to eat tomatoes though?!
I often have leftover quinoa in the freezer. It’s pronounced “keen-wah”. Did you know that? I’d been calling it the wrong thing for years. Now I know. It’s easy to make, higher in protein (about 14g/3.5oz.) than rice or pasta (I still totally eat rice and pasta), and is very versatile. It’s not just a protein, but a complete protein and is high in dietary fiber**. Yay Quinoa!
This could be a dinner, going alongside some Roast Beef (haha I typed “meef”: meat + beef = funny), Pan Seared Pork, Roasted Chicken… You could chop up any of said meats (cooked first) and add to the filling and have this as your main dish with a big salad.
You could eat it as a light lunch (or even breakfast), alongside a Fried Egg and a slice of hearty toast! You could make this vegetarian by omitting the bacon and adding chopped almonds for crunch. Get creative with your food!
Happy Eating!
Stuffed Tomatoes
Recipe Type: Side
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 28 mins
Total time: 43 mins
Serves: 2-6
Summer tomatoes are stuffed, roasted, and topped with crunchy bacon!
Ingredients
4-6 tomatoes, seeded and cored
1 T fresh oregano, diced (1 leaf reserved per tomato for topping)
1 ear of corn, off the cob
1 onion, diced
1 C squash, diced (I used a small zucchini, but any summer squash would work)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 C quinoa, cooked (I used leftovers)
1/2 t salt (I used Lemon, Thyme, and Bay Sea Salt, but regular salt would work just as well)
1/4 t pepper
1 T olive oil
1 T tomato paste
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated (reserve 2 T for topping)
2 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled (for topping)
Instructions
Heat a medium sized pan. Add oil. Add onion, squash, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, corn, tomato paste, vinegar, and quinoa, stir (make sure tomato paste is combined) and cook 2-3 minutes.
Remove from heat, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, then stir in parmesan cheese (reserving a bit for topping).
Stuff filling into hollowed out tomatoes. Bake at 350F (I used the toaster oven) about 20 minutes.
Top each tomato with crumbled bacon, 1 T parmesan and a fresh oregano leaf.
Notes
If you’re not using leftover quinoa: Bring 1 C water to a boil. Add 1/2 C quinoa. Cook about 15 minutes. Will yield about 2 C cooked. It freezes well.
1/4 fresh herbs, chopped (I used: chives, parsley, basil, and oregano)
1/2 C kale, chopped
2-3 T olive oil, divided
1 C parmesan cheese
dressing: 1/2 C olive oil
1/2 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
1 T maple syrup
1 T dijon mustard
salt
pepper
Instructions
Heat a medium saucepan. Add 1 1/2 T olive oil. Add garlic and quinoa and cook, stirring often, over medium-high heat, 3-5 minutes. Add water, cover, bring to a boil. Uncover, let cook about 15-20 minutes, or until water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked.
Meanwhile, add 1 1/2 T olive oil to a hot skillet. Add chicken breast and 1 C water. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook covered, flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 170F (about 10 minutes per side, or so, if it’s thick). Remove from pan and cool in refrigerator. Chop in small pieces.
Combine all dressing ingredients except oil. Slowly whisk in oil.
Combine quinoa with half of the dressing. Cool completely in refrigerator.
Combine quinoa with veggies, cheese, chicken, and dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve with bread and honey butter, or corn muffins!
Notes
Keep salad cool while at the picnic with ice packs!
Could make vegetarian by omitting chicken, and adding tempeh.
This is a main dish, but would be great as a side to grilled steak, pork chops, or chicken. As a side to meat, omitting the meat in the salad would be fine.
