Quinoa-Stuffed Avocados Recipe

Though technically a seed, you prepare quinoa as you would any whole grain - two cups of water for every cup of quinoa, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until done, usually about 10 to 15 minutes for a cup of quiona that will make about 3 to 4 decent servings.

Quinoa comes naturally coated with saponins, which you don't want to make a habit of ingesting, so be sure to rinse well before cooking. And it's best not to overdo it - about 3 to 4 servings per week is a good amount for most, as is the case with all protein-rich foods, as eating the same protein-rich food every day can eventually create a food intolerance or allergy.

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 small red onion, minced
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon minced parsley
2 ripe avocados
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sea salt

Directions:

1. Measure out one cup of quinoa, rinse well a few times under cold water, then combine with two cups of cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook with the lid on until done - this takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You'll know it's done when the water is no longer visible and you see a few holes in the bed of quinoa. Set aside cooked quinoa.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil over low to medium heat, add chopped red onion, then cook for 5 minutes to soften. Transfer cooked onion to quinoa in a large bowl.

3. Add chopped tomato, minced parsley, and sea salt, to taste.

4. Halve the avocados lengthwise and remove pits. Cube avocado by running your knife through the flesh, first vertically, then horizontally, all while the flesh remains in the avocado shell. Once cubed, use a large spoon to carefully remove each half of cubed avocado chunks, leaving clean and empty avocado half shells. Add the avocado chunks to the bowl of quinoa, then drizzle with fresh lemon juice to add tang and preserve colour. Give everything a gentle toss to evenly distribute avocado chunks.

5. Spoon quinoa and avocado stuffing into empty avocado shells and serve immediately.

To view a pictorial of this recipe, click here: How to Make Quinoa-Stuffed Avocados