Quinoa with Bell Peppers, Corn and Spinach

I took this quinoa with spinach, bell peppers, and corn recipe over to a friend who was recovering from surgery, and she reported back to me that her husband was not only a fan, but that ‘it made his mouth feel refreshed!’ I’m not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds good right?!

What is Good to Add to Quinoa?

The beauty of this quinoa side dish is its versatility. Try pairing it with pita and hummus and some lentils for a mediterranean meal. It also works just as well with a grilled veggie panini and some fruit salad, or with a veggie burger and sweet potato fries.

You can also modify it if you’re doing the Arbonne 30 days to healthy living plan, which doesn’t allow corn, so I used zucchini instead and it was just as delicious!

Feel free to play around with the veggies you use and change this recipe to fit your tastes!

Quinoa with Bell Peppers, Corn and Spinach

Ingredients for my spinach, bell peppers, and corn quinoa recipe:

 1 cup dry quinoa (or 2 cups cooked quinoa)

2 cups water

½ + 1/8 teaspoon salt, divided

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, diced small

3 scallions, sliced

1 bell pepper, diced small (orange or red)

2 cups corn kernels (frozen or fresh)

1 clove garlic, pressed

2 teaspoons cumin

2/3 cup vegetable broth

1 cup frozen spinach leaves (or 4 oz fresh, torn or chopped)

 

Procedure to make quinoa

Rinse the quinoa in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear, usually 2 to 3 times. Drain well.

In a dry, medium-sized pot, add rinsed quinoa. Toast over medium, stirring frequently until most of the water has evaporated.  Add the 2 cups of water and a 1/8 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.

Lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook until water has evaporated and grains have uncoiled, about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes. Uncover, fluff and set aside.

In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add onions and sauté over low/medium heat  until onions are caramelized, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the onions to a bowl and set aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of oil. Increase heat to Med/High and saute scallions, bell pepper and corn for 5 minutes.

Add garlic, cumin and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and cook for another minute. Add the vegetable broth and  spinach. Lower heat to medium, cover and heat until the spinach is wilted or warmed through.

 Add quinoa and onions and mix. Adjust seasoning. Serve.

*Quick tip: You can buy frozen cooked quinoa!