Tricia’s Quinoa Stuffed Tomatoes

I absolutely cannot wait until we get local vine ripened heirloom tomatoes at my Farmer’s Market.  That and fresh organic corn…Yummmm.  Add some quinoa, goat cheese, and fresh herbs and put them together and we have Tricia’s Quinoa Stuffed tomatoes.  A great vegetarian dinner.  Not quite the protein to calorie ratio I always talk about, the difference in vegetarian meals is the fiber keeps you satisfied by helping to keep your blood sugar in check just as protein does in “animal” based meals.  It is the highly processed carbs, without the fiber that can play havoc with our hunger and satiety “buttons”.  I love quinoa, I love goat cheese, and I love fresh, ripe tomatoes so this has no chance of being anything but AWESOME!  Thanks goes out to my friend Tricia from New Jersey for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups corn kernels cut from the cob
• 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
• 6 large ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 Tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your broiler to HIGH
2. Carefully cut the tops off the tomatoes and set aside
3. Gently scoop out the center of the tomatoes and press the pulp through a sieve, reserving the juice
4. Season the tomatoes with salt and set, cut side down, on a rack for 30 minutes
5. Put the corn and onion into a broiler proof pan and mix with a drizzle of olive oil.  Place in the broiler for 10 minutes stirring from time to time.  Remove from pan and season with salt and pepper.
6. Rinse the quinoa and place in a sauce pan with the reserved tomato juice and enough water to make 1 ½ cups of liquid total.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 
7. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork and stir in the corn and onion mixture as well as the oregano
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
9. Stuff the tomatoes with the quinoa mixture.  Top each with crumbled goat cheese and place in an oil greased roasting pan (I would spray the bottom of the roasting pan with olive oil with my MISTO).  Place the tomato tops on the side.
10. Roast for 15 minutes
11. Turn the broiler back to HIGH and broil until the cheese has melted. 
12. Place tomato tops on each tomato and serve.

Nutritional Info:

Makes 6 servings each with around

• 271 calories and
• 11 grams protein