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Quinoa with Swiss Chard, Garlic & Tomatoes

I went out to my balcony garden and found the swiss chard growing towards the sky, big and strong. It was so pretty to look at, but at some point I had to realize that I grew it for food and needed to do something with it. I wanted to make pasta but had none in the cupboard. I did have two types of organic quinoa, one being red quinoa. I had to be quick, too. 

Quinoa is similar to bulghur in its look and texture. It’s gluten-free so it’s perfect for people with wheat allergies. I’ve made tabbouleh using quinoa. I really love the taste and don’t feel I’m veering too far off from the traditional Middle Eastern recipe that people are so accustomed to enjoying.

Picked straight from its container, this meal was done from garden to table in about 20 minutes. You can’t beat that for fast, healthy, halal food.

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup stems, finely chopped (about 4-6 stalks)
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups Swiss chard leaves, roughly chopped
  • freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

  1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside on a serving platter.
  2. In a large saute pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil.
  3. Saute the Swiss chard stems and shallots until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and saute until they have lost their firmness.
  4. Add the garlic and Swiss chard leaves and continue to saute until the leaves have softened.
  5. Remove from heat and slide on top of the cooked quinoa and serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.


 

Do you eat swiss chard? If so, how do you cook it? Share your favorite ideas by commenting.

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  1. i do not even know what swiss chard is. am i from the dark-ages? i will have to research it and learn what it is. it looks like rhubarb. are they related?

    1. @Najma, thank you for your lovely comment and enthusiasm about MHK. I have signed you up, so you should receive a confirmation e-mail. Please click on the verification link to be fully subscribed. Can’t wait to engage with you on further posts! MHK is also on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/myhalalkitchen and on twitter @myhalalkitchen

  2. I found this recipe last night while looking for recipes involving chard and tomatoes. It turned out fantastic, thanks for sharing!

  3. I made this tonight & it was my first time with quinoa. It was a little bland but still tasty. I was surprised it didn’t call for salt & pepper. With a little tweeking to my own personal taste this will be a regular meal. THANKS for the recipe!

  4. I get a lot of swiss chard from my CSG….and was looking for some new inspiration.
    Thank you for providing that!
    I served with millet, as quinoa was not on hand. Also, I added some carrots (new baby tender ones) with the chard stems. It was very tasty.

  5. This was amazing! I used cous couse since I dod t have quinoa on hand. Loved it. I usually never eat the stems but now I know a good recipe so they don’t go to waste! Thank you!

  6. Just doubled this recipe and added my favorite seasonings. Delicious! I wouldn’t usually include tomatoes in a recipe like this but it adds something nice to it.

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