Hawaiian Bowl

When warmer weather starts to hit, but I still want a little comfort food, this is the dish I get going on the stovetop. It mixes hearty and comfort from the ground turkey and creamy coconut quinoa. However, at the same time, it’s also light and vibrant with the addition of pineapple salsa. There is some heat to this bowl, but the jalapeño and cayenne pepper can be taken out to tame this dish down. For picturing purposes, the meat and pineapple salsa mixture lays on top of a quinoa bed, but I usually mix everything in one pot to avoid the quinoa from getting dried up. It’s entirely up to you to lay the mixture on top or mix it all. See the note at the bottom of the recipe if you wish to keep them separate.

The Goods:

• 1 Pound of Ground Turkey

• 1 TBSP Olive Oil

• 1/4 tsp of the following- Pepper, Kosher Salt, Chili powder

• Dash of Cayenne Pepper

• 1 tsp of the following- Garlic and Onion Powder

• 3/4 cups Quinoa

• 3 TBSP of Tamari

• 1 can of Coconut Milk (13.5 ounces)

Pineapple Salsa-

• 1 Red Bell Pepper Diced

• 1/2 cup Red Onion Diced

• 3 Slices or a Small Jalapeño

• 2 cups of Fresh or Frozen( thawed) diced Pineapple

• 1/2 cup Fresh Cilantro Leaves + a few leaves for garnishing

• Squeeze of Lime

Instructions:

Step 1- Prepare all the ingredients for the pineapple salsa in a bowl. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for flavors to meld together.

Step 2- In a large skillet or nonstick frying pan, heat 1 TBSP of olive oil over medium heat. Add ground turkey, breaking it up into pieces. Add and stir in all the spices. Cook until browned. Remove the browned turkey and place it in a bowl to the side.

Step 3- Add the pineapple salsa to the pan and cook until bell peppers softened. Add back in ground turkey.

Step 4- Add the quinoa to the pan, followed by the coconut milk and 3 TBSP of Tamari. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes on low or until quinoa is fluffy.

Step 5- If desired, garnish with more fresh cilantro. Serve immediately and enjoy!

NOTE: If you want the quinoa to be separate from the turkey and pineapple salsa: Put quinoa and a can of coconut or milk together in a pot. Stir and bring to a boil, and then turn down the heat to low and simmer with the pot covered. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally. Once it’s fluffy and creamy, remove it from the heat. You will add the tamari with the turkey and pineapple salsa mixture, not the quinoa.Start the quinoa after you put the pineapple salsa in the fridge so it can cook while browning the ground turkey

Tag me @thelakesidechair to show off your bowl!