Quinoa with Brussels Sprouts and Tomatoes

It's time for me to branch out in the lunch department. I have gotten into the habit of eating sandwiches every day... and I'm not a fan of meat on sandwiches so they are usually cheese sandwiches with tomatoes and lettuce. I'll often have a cup of soup on the side and the variety of soup changes often, but the sandwich is always the same.

I started to think about quinoa and how filling it is, and thought that a warm quinoa salad would make a great lunch. I looked over some of the quinoa recipes I had made in the past for inspiration, including one I created that quickly became my favorite - Quinoa with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, and Basil. So following that idea, I created this quinoa with Brussels sprouts and tomatoes.

These flavors worked so well together - the quinoa and sprouts are nutty, the tomatoes were sweet and tart at the same time, and the onions and garlic rounded out the flavors. I added the crushed pecans at the end for some texture.

I ate a bowl of this for lunch and was SO full I could barely finish it! It held me over all afternoon so I didn't need to snack.  If you take this for lunch, I recommend warming it in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, just enough to take the chill off. Top with the pecans after warming.

Enjoy! I did :)

Ingredients

• 1 c quinoa
• 2 c vegetable broth plus 1/2 c vegetable broth
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 large Brussels sprouts sliced into three and then sliced into three crosswise
• Handful of cherry tomatoes, diced
• Salt and pepper
• Optional: crushed pecans for garnish

Directions

• Put quinoa and 2 c vegetable broth in a pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, cover, and let simmer 10-15 minutes until the liquid has absorbed.
• Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the onions and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
• Add Brussels sprouts and sauté 2 minutes
• Add tomatoes and sauté 2 minutes
• Season with salt and pepper, add 1/2 c of broth and let simmer for just a few minutes. Adjust seasoning if needed.
• Put quinoa in 2 bowls and top each with half of the Brussels sprouts/tomatoes. Garnish with crushed pecans if desired.

   

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