Grilled Corn, Avocado, Cucumber, Cherry Tomato Quinoa with Southwestern Grilled Chicken

{Don't get me wrong, I totally believe that food is fuel for our bodies and minds. But, I certainly don't believe that it ends there. Think about the cup of coffee, with a cookie or  a slice of lemon pound cake on the side, shared over encouraging conversation with a friend, the first bite you had during the dinner that you finally realized you'd fallen in love, the flavor of that treat that you couldn't get enough of while being pregnant. It was present at the late night sleep overs, the early morning chats about the upcoming day, the afternoon get-a-ways. Food; it's shared. It ties itself to our memories. It's coveted. It's a gift. Certainly, it's more than just fuel. Yes, eating well/right/healthily is wise, but that doesn't mean that we should minimize the gift of taste buds!} 

What in the world is Quinoa?? And, how in the world do you say it?? Well, some people say it's a grain and some people say it's a seed, but most say it's a seed - so Im going with that. It's pronounced KEEN-WAH. Fancy, huh? Don't let it get to your head! (I'm kidding.) I like it because it's versatile, but it also isn't this empty addition to your plate - it has loads of protein and is pretty high in iron and fiber. So, don't let the fancy name fool you, because it's super easy to prepare!  Here's a recipe that I came up with my first time making quinoa. I really enjoyed it and so did my husband and kids - so that's a bonus, right?? It really is a light yet hearty, and healthy but certainly flavorful, dish. I hope you enjoy!

Grilled Corn, Avocado, Cucumber, Cherry Tomato Quinoa with Southwestern Grilled Chicken

12, or so, cherry tomatoes, quartered

3 small/medium avocados, chopped

1 cucumber (or a half, that's all I had and it was fine)

1 ear of corn

1 lemon

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup quinoa 

1 package boneless, skinless chicken tender loins (or chicken breast cut into 1 inch thick slices)

aprox 1/2 tsp each: cumin, paprika, onion powder, cayenne powder (or ancho chili powder), garlic powder (I just sprinkle each side of the chicken with each spice, I don't actually measure it out)

1 tbs oil of your choice for grilling

1 tbs rice vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper, season to taste

Chicken

Heat the grill on medium/ high (on my grill, high was perfect). Season the chicken on both sides with each spice (I happen to sprinkle pretty liberally with my spices, not salt though. I like a lot of flavor but not a lot of sodium). Drizzle with just a bit of oil and put the chicken in the grill. Flip after approximately 7 minutes, just when the first side starts to get charred. Cook the second side for another 7 minutes (approximately). When the chicken is cooked through and slightly charred put onto serving dish and squeeze the juice of half the lemon over each piece. 

Quinoa

Rinse the quinoa well (otherwise it will taste bitter). In a pot mix 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil then cover and let simmer for 15 minutes. Personally, after that 15 minutes is done, I remove the lid but keep the heat on simmer for another 5 minutes, then fluff it with a fork. I happen to like the texture of the quinoa better that way. 

Corn

Put the corn, with about half the husks still on, in the microwave for approximately 4 minutes so that it'll cook mostly through. The corn will be hot, so carefully, remove all the husks and set the corn directly on the grill and let it char on all sides, about 30 seconds per side.

Veggies

Just chop and drop all the veggies and cilantro and mince the garlic, put in to a medium size bowl. Slice all the corn off the cob and add that to the veggies. Squeeze the other half of the lemon into the bowl and add the rice vinegar. 

Mix the quinoa with the veggies and serve with the southwestern grilled chicken. I try to avoid too much sodium. The rice vinegar and lemon make it where too much salt isn't necessary, but season to your taste. I hope you enjoy!