Quinoa-stuffed Tomatoes

Do not adjust the color on your monitor. The tomato was intentionally orange. It didn't taste any different. I just thought it looked neat.

Quinoa is proving very difficult to photograph. My little camera can't get the resolution up close.

I love stuffing tomatoes. I just don't like hollowing them out. Go for ones that are more firm and they're less likely to tear. Use a tomato corer to remove the core, about 1/2". A small melon-baller is ideal for scooping out the insides. You just want to leave the outer shell.

The amount of stuffing you need depends on the size of the tomato. I'll just give a guideline that should be more than enough.

4 medium sized tomatoes

1/2 C dry quinoa, soaked & rinsed if necessary

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

1 tsp parsley flakes

water

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Hollow out tomatoes and set them upside-down on cutting board to drain. Place quinoa, salt, pepper, and parsley in saucepan with 3/4 C water.

2. Place tomatoes open-end up in baking dish and place in oven. Bring quinoa to a boil, reduce to simmer. When it is cooked, about 15 minutes, remove from heat and remove tomatoes from oven. Using melon-baller, stuff quinoa into tomatoes and place back in baking pan.

3. Return tomatoes to oven and bake 5 more minutes, until heated through. Serve hot.

Difficulty rating  :)