Can you believe it’s 2017? I mean, really. 2017. How in the world?! The older I get, and especially the older my children get, the years seem to pick up speed and fly by faster and faster. 2016 was a blur and a blink, it seems like, and we’re already here at 2017. In some ways, I’m almost glad to be moving along this time around. I have so much to be thankful for — namely my amazing family — but I also witnessed a lot of heartache, sadness and tough times in 2016 and I’m a little relieved to be saying goodbye to all of that and saying hello to a fresh new year. A new year, a new start, a new reason to hope for more joy, love and peace. Fingers and toes crossed. And of course, New Year’s also signals hopes for a healthier lifestyle and a healthier way of eating. But with delicious flavor intact please.
So today I bring you a quick and easy one-pan dinner recipe that’s light but hearty. It’s also gluten free and vegan. This southwest vegetarian quinoa skillet has big flavors and loads of toppings. A few of my favorite things 😉 The quinoa cooked in the pan and soaks up all the amazing southwest flavors and spices, and comes out perfectly tender and fluffy. A squeeze of fresh lime juice helps brighten it and tie everything together, and then you get to load it with your favorite toppings. Because you should know by now that I’m ALL about the toppings. (I’m also all about the color purple and bourbon. ) And if this dish is totally your style, check out a different twist on it, this one pot Mediterranean quinoa skillet. OK, let’s get cooking.
Notes on southwest vegetarian quinoa skillet:
If you don’t like spicy food, you can omit the jalapeño pepper and the cayenne pepper from this recipe. Or if you like it really spicy, leave in some of the seeds and membranes for the jalapeño pepper and serve this with hot sauce. I use frozen corn, thawed, but you could substitute a small can of corn, that’s been drained, or use fresh corn if it’s available. If you’re not vegetarian, you could definitely mix in some rotisserie chicken at the end to warm it through and make this even more hearty. The leftovers are fabulous for lunch.
And like I said, you really should LOAD this up with your favorite toppings.
Topping ideas for southwest quinoa:
- Shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Diced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
- Chopped fresh cilantro or green onions
- Pickled jalapeños, hot sauce or sriracha for some extra heat
- Chopped fresh tomatoes or some salsa
- Anything else you can think of - make it your own!
Cheers to a healthy and happy 2017, friends! (And be sure to sign up for my free weekly e-newsletter so you never miss a recipe! You’ll get my free e-cookbook as a thank-you!) XO, Kathryn Check out my VIDEO to see how easy this recipe is to make!
If you don’t like spicy food, you can omit the jalapeño pepper and the cayenne pepper from this recipe. Or if you like it really spicy, leave in some of the seeds and membranes for the jalapeño pepper and serve this with hot sauce. I use frozen corn, thawed, but you could substitute a small can of corn, that’s been drained, or use fresh corn if it’s available. If you’re not vegetarian, you could definitely mix in some rotisserie chicken at the end to warm it through and make this even more hearty.
