I created this dish when I was feeling a bit under the weather and was looking to add a healthy dose of Vitamin C to my diet. I used fresh pineapple and then added swiss chard for a big boost of vitamins and minerals. Swiss Chard is one of those under the radar foods. It has a ton of flavor, is low in calories and high in nutrition. 1 cup has 42% of your DRI of vitamin C. It also has a ton of Vitamin K and A.
Tropical Quinoa with Garlic and Swiss Chard
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cup chicken broth
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 cups swiss chard chopped
- 1 cup pineapple cut into 1/2 inch pieces (you can also use crushed pineapple)
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 onion diced
- 3 scallions whites and greens cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a pot on medium heat combine quinoa with chicken stock.
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Bring to a boil.
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Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until quinoa for 10 minutes. Add swiss chard and cook until it is al dente, approximatley 5 minutes longer.
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In a large skillet, heat oil. Add garlic and onions. Sauté until softened.
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Add pineapple and parsley. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until hot.
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Combine quinoa and swiss chard.
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Add lime juice.
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Salt and pepper to taste.
The key to making this dish super flavorful is using fresh produce. The fresh lime, cilantro and pineapple make the dish bright and refreshing. The quinoa packs in protein and the swiss chard add filling fiber. It makes a great side dish or if you want to make this quinoa a lot fat meal, toss in some diced chicken or cooked shrimp.
If you don’t have cilantro you can substitute parsley or basil. If you don’t have limes substitute lemons. I really like the bitterness the swiss chard add but you could also use spinach or kale.
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