YOUR HEALTHY PLATE: Tomato Quinoa Risotto

The most important part of this beautiful dish is the gorgeous tomatoes. First find the tomatoes, and then organize the rest of your ingredients. The rest will all come together beautifully once the tomatoes are chosen.

Plan to make this recipe only if you’re going to be around to keep your eye on it. It’s a great choice for a small group of friends planning to spend the day together and looking for something special to make. It goes great with a mixed green salad and a glass of wine.

  • 1 small acorn squash, cut in half and seeded.
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 c. red quinoa
  • 2 c. vegetable stock
  • 1/4 c. heavy (organic dairy) or coconut cream
  • 2 1/4 c. water
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 6 large tomatoes
  • 1/2 c. panko breadcrumbs
  • a bit more olive oil

Early in the day, or even the day before, heat oven to 450F. Wrap squash in tin foil, place on baking sheet and roast 30 minutes. Let cool, scoop out the flesh, and set aside.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and quinoa, and stir for 1 minute. Add mashed squash, vegetable stock, heavy cream and water. Turn down heat to simmer, cook uncovered, and stir often for 1 hour. Risotto is done when almost all the liquid has evaporated.

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut a hole into the top of each tomato. Dig a large space into the center of each tomato with a paring knife or serrated spoon, making sure not to puncture the bottom. Fill each tomato with risotto mixture, top with panko breadcrumbs, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Place the tomatoes in a large baking dish so they will support each other once they are beginning to soften.

Bake 20 minutes, until tomato flesh is hot and skins have begun to split. Turn on the broiler briefly, just 30 seconds, to toast the topping. Don’t take your eyes off the tomatoes or they will burn! With a slotted spoon, transfer each tomato to an individual bowl, and serve immediately.

Thank you to Omeletta for the original version of this very special autumn recipe.

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