Summertime is party time! It is a perfect season to get together with your friends and loved ones. Undoubtedly, picnic by the sea with the usual grilled sea foods are still great choices to kick off the spring season. But dressing up the picnic mat with something out of the ordinary can make the picnic experience for the whole family or friends extraordinary. Since everyone is excited to leave the house, cooking a dish which requires extensive preparation will only drive everyone mad. So, to avoid spoiling the mood, you may consider preparing something that can be done in a snap.
Stir fry recipes are a great option! Easy tossed salad dish can make everyone feel the spell of spring. With a touch of quinoa to the usual vegetable salad, summertime is given a new twist.
To cook a Stir Fried Vegetable Quinoa, prepare 2 ½ cups of quinoa, 1 Japanese eggplant, peeled and sliced into bite-size, 1 yellow sliced squash, 2 cups of trimmed baby Bella mushroom, a handful of sliced asparagus or green beans, halved grape or cherry tomatoes and 1 cored and sliced bell pepper. When choosing an eggplant, go with the smaller ones because they are less bitter.
For sautéing, you need Olive oil, 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic and 1 diced onion. Also, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper should be prepared for seasoning. You can add herbs like basil, parsley, red pepper flakes and thyme to taste.
Cook quinoa in a rice cooker. When cooked, heat up the pan with a dash of olive oil. Drop the onion and let it settle until it becomes transparent. Add the garlic and let it sizzle for a minute. Add the vegetables and sprinkle it with sea salt, pepper and the herbs preferred for seasoning. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and do a little stir fry until the vegetables are tender. Combine quinoa with the vegetable mixture, add more seasoning if desired. Remove the dish from heat then drizzle a bit of olive oil and do the final toss.
Refrigerate the same a day before the big day. Prepare this more often and make everyone healthier with a very affordable price.