Lemon Garlic Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables

Summer means simplicity. On a 90 degree day here in Chicago, the last thing I want to do is heat my house up with the oven. So, that means I need to be cooking creatively. For moments like these, I turn to the grill. Sure, it’s hot, but that heat’s outside, where it belongs.

While some people use their grill mostly for steaks, burgers and brats, I tend to use mine more for vegetables. Sure, I love a good flank steak or turkey burger, but grilled vegetables are just plain good food. Plus, they are the perfect addition to almost any meal.

Which brings me to my Lemon Garlic Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables. It’s a recipe that starts with a dual purpose marinade. Yes, it’s a marinade, first and foremost, adding tons of flavor to the vegetables, but it’s also used to season the quinoa. Who doesn’t love making something once and using it twice!?

Here’s the best part! This is a dish you can feel good about serving your family and guests. It’s a nutritious food gift from me to you. All wrapped up in vitamin-rich vegetables, fiber-rific beans and perfect-protein quinoa. So grab a bowl and fill it up and put a bow on it. Enjoy your gift (but don’t eat the bow!)!

 

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Lemon Garlic Quinoa with Grilled Vegetables


  • Author: Sara Haas

Description

A simple summer meal that satisfies.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
  • 4 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed seeded and cut into planks
  • 1 zucchini, cut into planks lengthwise
  • 1 yellow squash, cut into planks lengthwise
  • 1 red onion, cut into 1/2 inch round slices
  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 115 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed, or about 1 3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans 1/2 cup basil, thinly sliced

Instructions

To make the marinade

  1. Combine the mustard, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper and olive oil in a jar. Screw on the lid and shake well to combine. Alternatively, place the mustard, lemon juice, garlic and black pepper in a small bowl and whisk together. Stream in the olive oil, whisking until fully incorporated. Pour half of the mixture into a re-sealable bag and add the pepper, zucchini, squash and red onion. Cover the remaining marinade and refrigerate. Re-seal the bag and massage marinade into vegetables. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.

To cook the quinoa

  1. Place quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Season with salt and reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for about 15 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid. Set aside.

To grill the vegetables

  1. Preheat grill to medium high heat. Clean grill grates and brush lightly with vegetable oil. Remove the vegetables from the bag. Place the vegetables on the grill and cook vegetables on both sides until grill marks form, about 5-10 minutes per side. Remove from the grill.

To make the dish

  1. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and toss with the reserved marinade. Chop the grilled vegetables and add to the quinoa, along with the lemon zest, chickpeas and basil. Stir and serve.

Notes

  • Makes 8 cups

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 6
  • Calories: 378
  • Sugar: 7
  • Sodium: 176
  • Fat: 16
  • Saturated Fat: 2
  • Unsaturated Fat: 13
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 48
  • Protein: 13
  • Cholesterol: 0

Grilled Chicken with Lemon Parsley Marinade

When it’s warm outside, I want to grill. I grew up in a household where summer meant almost every meal was made on a hot charcoal or gas grill out in our backyard. I never got much experience manning the grill as a kid, but I did have a nice moment where I backed into one in a swimsuit. Ouch! That’s one way to discourage you from grilling!

Flash forward and now I am officially my father’s daughter. While I could never top his grilling skills, I sure do try. I’ve grilled just about everything and you know what, so many things just “work” on the grill. It’s a great little cooking tool, one that can handle lean cuts of meat as well as vegetables and even fruits. I love it’s versatility which allows me to create healthful meals for friends and family.

I’ve created this Grilled Chicken with Lemon Parsley Marinade as tribute to all of those early grilled chicken meals. And I opted for a marinated chicken that could serve many purposes. This one does just that, because it’s great on top of salads, as a filler for pitas and wraps and even just enjoyed as it is.

The marinade serves two functions. The first function of course is flavor. Chicken breast is pretty bland and this marinade packs loads of flavor. The second is that it helps protect against some of the harmful carcinogens that can form when grilling meat.  I’ve also recommended to pound the chicken thin. This creates a chicken breast that’s uniform in size, which allows for even cooking, preventing underdone or overcooked chicken. Don’t skip that step!

Enjoy and let me know how you like it!

 

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Grilled Chicken with Parsley Lemon Marinade


  • Author: Sara Haas

Description

A quick, simple marinade that adds just the right amount of flavor to any piece of chicken.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 pound chicken breasts
  • 1 cup parsley, leaves and stems, washed
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. Place chicken breasts in a re-sealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken until it’s a 1/2-inch thick.
  2. Combine the garlic, oil, parsley, water, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour marinade, along with lemon slices into the bag with the chicken and seal the bag. Toss to coat. Remove any excess air from the bag and place chicken in the refrigerator to marinate. (I recommend putting the chicken in another vessel, like a bowl or dish, to prevent any cross-contamination in your fridge.) Marinate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
  3. When ready to cook, remove chicken from the refrigerator and preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Clean the grill thoroughly and brush grates lightly with canola oil.
  4. Once the grill is hot, add the chicken. Grill until chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165’F, about 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time. Let rest before slicing.

Notes

  • This chicken is delicious on top of salads or pastas. It can even be used as a base for chicken salad, gyros or other sandwiches.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4
  • Calories: 319
  • Sugar: 0
  • Sodium: 241
  • Fat: 18
  • Saturated Fat: 3
  • Unsaturated Fat: 14
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 3
  • Protein: 36
  • Cholesterol: 96

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