Healthy 2-in-1 Meal: Chunky Guacamole and Cilantro Lime Quinoa

One of the best times to eat a light and refreshing meal is summer time, especially with the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables at my fingertips . I came up with this easy, 2-in-1 meal that I want to share with you. It starts out as a snack, and turns into a delicious meal with the addition of one or two ingredients.

Healthy Snack: Chunky Guacamole

Ingredients

• 1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes
• 2 avocados
• 3 green onions
• 1/2 red onion
• handful of fresh cilantro
• juice of 4 fresh limes
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Slice the grape or cherry tomatoes into halves. Place in large bowl.
2. Slice and remove the pits from the avocados. Score the avocados, and spoon the meat of the avocados into the bowl.
3. Chop the green onions and red onion into small pieces. Add to the bowl.
4. Chop the cilantro and add to the bowl.
5. Slice the limes and squeeze the juice into the bowl.
6. Mix all of the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

This chunky guacamole makes a great, healthy snack that can be enjoyed with blue corn tortilla chips or fresh bell pepper strips.

But wait, there’s more…

Need something more substantial for dinner? Need a nutritious summer salad for your next picnic? I’ve got you covered!

Healthy Dinner: Cilantro Lime Quinoa

By simply adding a protein, you can turn this into a great meal. My choice is red quinoa. Not only is it a grain, but it’s a complete protein, and so good for you!

All you need to do is rinse and cook the quinoa. If you’ve never cooked quinoa, don’t worry – it’s easy! If you can cook pasta or rice, you can easily cook quinoa.

Before cooking, you need to rinse the quinoa. I use a small colander. The grain is very small, so make sure that it will not fall through the holes in the colander. Once the quinoa is rinsed, add to a pot and add water. When cooking quinoa, you want to use 2 parts water to 1 part quinoa. I cooked 1-1/2 cups quinoa, so I added 3 cups water.

Bring the quinoa and water to a boil and stir. Reduce heat to simmer, and cover with a lid. Allow the quinoa to cook for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. You’ll know the quinoa is done when the germ ring is visible along the outside edge of the grain.

Let the quinoa cool in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Add the quinoa to the chunky guacamole, and now you have a brand new meal.

This Cilantro Lime Quinoa is great on it’s own, but I’ve also added chopped cucumber or sweet yellow corn for an extra crunch. Another secret? Try the juice of two or three clementine oranges for added citrus flavor.

Another delicious summer salad is being prepped in my kitchen – stay tuned to find out! I’ll give you a hint – the main ingredient is a classic summer time fruit. Any guesses?

You might also like:

• Quinoa and Roasted Veggies with Flax Seed
• Easy Guilt-Free Springtime Soup
• Garlic Roasted Autumn Squash and Red Onion
• Grilled Pizza