Jazzy Quinoa Salad w/Tempeh Cubes

What do I do when I have fresh pineapple and the weather is still warm? I make a jazzy Cuban inspired quinoa salad with a little smoky tempeh on the side.

This recipe is one I altered, from one that was adapted from another one, etc  I don't think it resembles the original fried rice recipe much.

I love the mixture of flavors and it was especially good leftover the next day.

JAZZY QUINOA SALAD W/TEMPEH CUBES

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
1 cup Quinoa
1.5 cups Water
1 tsp No Chicken Bouillon
2 cups chopped fresh Pineapple (peeled and cored of course)
1 Green or Red Pepper, diced
1 - 15 oz can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
2 tsp minced Garlic
6 Green Onions, white and green parts sliced thin
1 Jalapeno Pepper, remove seeds and mince

MARINATED AND GRILLED TEMPEH INGREDIENTS:
1 - 8 oz pkg Tempeh, cut into 1/2 - 1 inch cubes
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Liquid Smoke
2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp gluten free Tamari (or soy sauce)

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In small bowl whisk together all tempeh marinade ingredients.  In a shallow glass dish or Ziploc bag mix the cubed tempeh with the marinade.  Let marinade for at least one hour, turning to coat as needed.

2.  Mix quinoa, water, and bouillon and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let set for 5 minutes.  Place quinoa in a large mixing bowl and spread up the sides to cool.

3.  If you haven't already done so, chop all of your veggies and the pineapple and set aside.  Drain and rinse beans and set aside.

4.  Turn on your BBQ or grill to medium-high heat.  You can either grill the tempeh on skewers or in a grill pan so the cubes don't slide between the grates.  Place the tempeh on the grill prior to assembling salad, reserving marinade. Grill tempeh until brown on all sides and slightly dry.

5.  Mix the veggies, black beans, and pineapple into the cooled quinoa.  Stir from the bottom to incorporate.  A slightly warm salad tastes just as good as a cool one.  If you want a cold salad, make the quinoa up in the morning and refrigerate until ready to assemble.

6.  Once the tempeh is grilled.  Serve the salad with the tempeh on the side. Dip the grilled tempeh in the reserved marinade or drizzle a little on the salad and a little on top the tempeh for an extra kick. You can even stir a tablespoon or two of the marinade into the whole salad for a flavor boost.

- Bon Appetit

" You can do a lot for your diet by eliminating foods that have mascots." - Ted Spiker

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