Grilled Zucchini and Poblano Quinoa

I’m hardly cooking.

Well, I’m not cooking anything new or anything photo-worthy. It’s not for a lack of want. There has just been a whole lot of eating out [new favorite deli = South Paw], making scrambled eggs in the microwave, or grilling kebabs and eating cheese. Still highly delicious and nutritious, just not anything to really talk about.

It was another grill night [surprise!] since neither of us wants a heavy dinner right before footy [him] and gym/yoga [me]. I usually grab a premade salad or finger foods to go with, but on occasion I’ve been getting a little quinoa in my life. It’s the perfect thing to make while I heat the grill. I love when timing comes together. Quinoa goes good with just about anything, so I throw in veggies and cheese dressing and call it a day. Can’t get enough.

Since I had the grill on, I had to get some zucchini. Do you know what world you open up by searching “quinoa zucchini” in Google? I should have known better. I finally found this little salad with poblano peppers, which I definitely don’t eat enough of. They were a little spicy, but about as much as a pinch of chili flakes would give. It wasn’t overbearing in the slightest. Goat feta crumbles happened, too. Afterward, I ended up craving some macrona almonds. Random.

Do you find you end up cooking less in the summer?

Inspiration: Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2″ slices
• 1 large poblano pepper, deseeded and sliced into 1/2″ strips
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions [about three]
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• salt and pepper

Preparation

Preheat the grill to medium heat. Bring water to a boil, add rinsed quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Brush the zucchini and pepper strips with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the the vegetables to the grill. Allow 3-4 minutes on each side turning once the edges start to char. Remove from heat, and chop into 1/2″ pieces when it’s cool enough to touch.

Whisk together the red wine vinegar and olive oil. In a large bowl, toss together quinoa, vegetables, cheese, scallions, and cilantro. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and stir to incorporate. Serve immediately or let it sit in the fridge before serving.