What I Did With Quinoa

This is a protein-packed main dish. Especially good for Lap-Band® recipients. I can no longer eat rice and am always looking to increase my protein intake. This recipe is tweaked from another. I liked it so much, I decided to share it. Check it out. This is my first time writing a recipe. Hope I did it well. Happy eating!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 40 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Calories: 589 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 small onion, chopped
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup quinoa
• ¼ cup sofrito (such as Goya®)
• 1 teaspoon adobo seasoning
• 1 head garlic, chopped
• ½ cup sofrito (such as Goya®), or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Soak quinoa in a bowl of water for 20 minutes; drain.

Step 2

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a frying pan over medium heat; saute onion, red bell pepper, and garlic until soft, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 3

Combine chicken broth, quinoa, 1/4 cup onion mixture, 1/4 cup sofrito, 1 teaspoon cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover saucepan with a lid, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir corn into quinoa mixture and cook until corn is warmed, about 5 minutes.

Step 4

Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir chicken, adobo seasoning, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, salt, and pepper together until chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 5

Mix quinoa mixture, remaining onion mixture, black beans, and 1/2 cup sofrito into chicken mixture; cook until heated through, 2 to 3 more minutes.