RECIPE: Quinoa Veggie Avocado Stuffed Tomatoes
For the final week of National Blood Pressure Month, we are giving you one more DASH friendly recipe! This stuffed tomato is packed with plant based protein from quinoa, tons of color (which means vitamins and minerals) from all of the veggies, and a good source of heart healthy fats from the avocado.
Quinoa Veggie Avocado Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients (makes 12 servings):
- 3 quarts Vegetable stock
- 12 Tomatoes
- 1 ½ cup Red onion, chopped
- 3 cups Quinoa, dry
- ¾ cup Green bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup Red bell pepper, chopped
- ¾ cup Eggplant, diced
- ¾ cup Carrots, diced
- 1 ½ tsp Canola oil
- ½ Avocado, diced
- 1 ½ Tbsp Ground pepper
- ¾ cup Parsley, fresh, chopped
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut the tops off of the tomatoes and hollow out the insides.
- Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add bell peppers, eggplant, and carrots and sauté until tender, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add quinoa and cook gently for 2 minutes.
- Add the stock to the quinoa and vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the liquid is fully cooked, about 7-10 minutes. When quinoa is cooked, remove the cover and fluff quinoa with a fork.
- Gently mix in the avocado, pepper, and parsley.
- Carefully stuff about ¾ cup quinoa into each tomato.
- Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tomatoes are heated through, about 15-20 minutes.
