Quinoa with grilled corn and poblano peppers

This summery quinoa is a flavor explosion, thanks to grilled corn, scallions and poblano peppers. The pepitas add a toasty crunch. Poblanos are usually quite mild, but today I got a super spicy one – there’s steam coming out of my ears! But of course, I loooove that feeling.

You could make this into a more substantial main dish by adding a cup of warmed black beans at the end. I prefer it warm, but you can also eat it leftover as a cold salad.

Remember, quinoa is a complete protein and is high in fiber, calcium and other vitamins – and it’s delicious, making it just about the perfect food. In fact, I think I’ll post a quinoa recipe every single month from now on.  Think of it as the Quinoa of the Month Club.

Quinoa with Grilled Corn and Poblano Peppers

6-7 scallions
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 large ear corn
2 poblano peppers
1 cup quinoa, rinsed thoroughly and drained through a fine mesh strainer (not necessary with the pre-rinsed type)
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons roasted, lightly salted pepitas
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Light a fire in your grill. Brush the scallions and peppers with oil. Carefully pull back the husks of the corn part way, remove the silk and replace the husks (don’t worry that the corn isn’t completely covered – the husks will mostly burn off.) Grill all the vegetables at once over hot coals. The scallions will be done in 3-4 minutes, the peppers should be nicely charred all over in 6-7 minutes, and the corn in 7-8 minutes.

Chop the scallions, discarding any ends that got completely dried out during the grilling.) Cut off the kernels off the corn using a sharp knife. Put the peppers in a bowl, cover and let sit for 15 minutes. Slip off the blistered skin and dice, discarding the seeds.

Put the dry quinoa in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium-high heat. Toast the grains until they turn slightly golden and smell nutty. Add the boiling water and salt, and stir.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the grains display a little white thread. Fluff with a fork.

Add the grilled corn, poblanos, scallions, cilantro, olive oil and pepitas to the quinoa.  Season to taste with pepper and serve.

Serves 4