Avocados with Quinoa and Fresh Veggie Stuffing

I know a lot of people out there made new years resolutions and goals concerning their health (me included), so here's a little meal to help you along the way.  Not only is it healthy, it's pretty dang tasty.  It is also gluten free, vegan, sugar-free, and high in protein and healthy fats!  Woo hoo! 

From the pictures you can see that this dish is quite colorful.  I've heard that this is what helps us to enjoy foods.  The more colorful and, well, prettier they are, the more we want to eat them.  So get out there and enjoy some colorful fruits and veggies!  Your eyes, mind, and most importantly, your body will thank you for it!

And, in case anyone is wondering where the baked goods went, don't fret!  I'll be posting some delicious and healthy crackers in the next post.

Avocados with Quinoa Stuffing
if raw food is your thing, simply remove the quinoa and replace it with another form of protein such as walnuts or almonds

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed (any color will work)
1 cup water
3 ripe avocados (1 avocado per person)
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced
1/2 pint of grape tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp raw sunflower kernels
half of a lemon
about 1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt, to taste
finely chopped mint to serve (optional)

Cook the quinoa: put the quinoa and water in a sauce pan.  Bring it to a boil, then drop to a simmer, cover, and cook about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is fluffy.  Remove from the heat and set aside to cool a bit.

In a bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, tomatoes, bell pepper, sunflower kernels, a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice, the olive oil, and a pinch of sea salt.  Toss everything together, then taste the stuffing and adjust the lemon juice or salt to your liking. 

Halve each avocado, remove the pits, and remove the skin, being careful to keep each half intact.  Put 2 halves on each plate, squeeze a bit of lemon juice over them, and season with just a touch of sea salt.  Spoon the stuffing onto the avocado halves, making sure to divide it up evenly.  Sprinkle the mint over the top and then serve immediately.  Enjoy!

**this serves 3 as a main dish, but will serve 6 as a side dish with each person getting half of an avocado