Quinoa pasta with corn, bell peppers, and tomatoes

Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Dairy Free, Low Calorie

2 Servings, 590 Calories/Serving

35 Minutes

The generous mix of vegetables in this pasta is inspired by maque choux. Pronounced mock-shoo, it’s also known as Creole succotash, because it contains such a similar blend of crunchy-sweet garden produce. It’s likely a mashup of Creole and Native American dishes (even the name is thought to be a French approximation of a Native American word.)

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Ingredients

  • 1 yellow onion
  • Peeled fresh garlic
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 6 ounces cherry tomatoes
  • 1 ear corn
  • 4 scallions
  • 1 lime
  • 2 pasture-raised organic eggs
  • 5 ounces gluten-free quinoa penne (quinoa - corn)
  • 1 tablespoon Oaktown Spice Shop Hot Cajun seasoning (optional)

Instructions

1

Prep the vegetables

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne; bring a small pot of water to a boil for the eggs. While the water heats:
  • Peel and chop the onion into ¼-inch pieces.
  • Finely chop enough garlic to measure 1 teaspoon.
  • Remove the stem, ribs, and seeds from the green bell pepper; cut the pepper into ¼-inch pieces.
  • Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.
  • Shuck the corn; lay the ear flat and cut the kernels from the cob.
  • Trim the root ends from the scallions; thinly slice the scallions.
  • Juice the lime.

2

Cook the eggs

Fill a bowl with ice water. Carefully lower the eggs into the small pot of boiling water; boil for 5 minutes for soft-boiled, 8 minutes for hard-boiled. Transfer the eggs to the ice water to cool. Peel carefully. While the eggs cook, start the penne.

3

Cook the penne

Add the penne to the large pot; boil until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup cooking water. While the penne cooks, start cooking the vegetables.

4

Cook the vegetables

In a pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers and tomatoes; cook until the tomatoes release some of their juices, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the corn, scallions, and as much Hot Cajun seasoning as you like. Cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

5

Finish the pasta and eggs

To the vegetable mixture, stir in the drained penne, 2 tablespoons pasta cooking water, and the lime juice; stir until well combined. Stir in the remaining pasta cooking water if dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cut the eggs in half lengthwise.

6

Serve

Transfer the penne and vegetables to individual plates. Top with the eggs and serve.

7

Chef's tip

To get dinner on the table even more quickly, start cooking the onion and garlic while you prep the rest of the vegetables.

Nutrition per serving: Calories: 590, Protein: 20 g, Total Fat: 24 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12.5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.5 g, Saturated Fat: 3.5 g, Cholesterol: 165 mg, Carbohydrates: 79 g, Fiber: 9 g, Added Sugar: 0 g, Sodium: 420 mg

Contains: eggs

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