Quinoa with Summer Vegetables

I am up in Colorado with the family for some cool weather and relaxation.  But, of course having three boys, two of which are teenagers, relaxation is hard to come by.  My oldest broke his elbow and had to have surgery, while on vacation.  Needless to say, it has put a bit of a kink in our plans.  I am basically in the house playing nurse.  But, my sweet husband did most of the heavy lifting and took him to the hospital, which was 2 hours away, for the surgery and I stayed back with the other two boys. So, while I was going crazy waiting for updates on the surgery, I cooked!  It took my mind off of the idea of my son having 3 screws put in his elbow.  

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Quinoa with Summer Vegetables

Makes 6-8 side servings

1 cup cooked quinoa (follow package directions for cooking)

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, cut into small pieces

1/2 onion, chopped

1 cob of corn, kernels cut off the cob or 1 small can corn, drained

1 zucchini, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 head broccoli, cut into small pieces

2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1-2 scallions, chopped

Parsley, chopped for garnish

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add vegetables and cook about 15 minutes or until just tender. You want a bit of a crunch to the veggies.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar.  

In a large bowl, combine cooked veggies and quinoa.  Season with salt and pepper. Toss in scallions and parsley. 

Serve warm, room temperature or chilled.

Notes:

*Use any vegetables you have on hand or prefer.  

*Add chopped nuts such as walnuts or pine nuts for extra crunch.