This recipe originally called for real bacon, but since I don't eat that, we substituted in turkey bacon, which we crisped in the microwave. This would also be easily a fantastic vegetarian dish if you just skipped the bacon part all together!Quinoa Pilaf with Sweet Potatoes, Kale, and Bacon
Adapted from Serious Eats
Ingredients
2 to 4 slices of bacon, diced
1/4 large onion, cut in half and sliced thin
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 medium sweet potato (about 10 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 small bunch kale (about 8 ounces), chopped coarsely
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, green parts only, sliced thin, for garnish
Procedure
- In a medium saucepan with a tight fitting lid, sauté the onions olive oil, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and kale and toss until coated with the oil and the grains are slightly toasted, about 2 minutes more. Add the water and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, bring to a boil, stir once, cover, reduce to low and let cook undisturbed until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, steam the sweet potatoes until they are tender. If you don't have a steamer (we have a rice cooker
that can also steam, as recommended by Cooks Illustrated) toss the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and salt and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 475 until the potatoes begin to brown in places and the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Microwave the turkey bacon until crispy, crumble it.
- When the quinoa is cooked, stir in the potatoes and turkey bacon. Top with fresh scallion slice.
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