Quinoa covered with a spicy tomato and chickpea sauce.

This past week, everyone in my family was sick. While no one ever wants to get sick, especially in the summer, it inspired me to make this simple dish.

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I know what you’re thinking, who wants to cook when they’re sick? Sure, I probably should have rested, but I really wanted to eat something tasty. I was so sick of the bland “healthy” food and I needed a full flavoured, feel good meal.

Spicy Tomato Quinoa is a lightly spicy, flavourful dish. With nutty quinoa, hearty chickpeas and a spicy tomato sauce, this is one simple and satisfying 30-minute meal.

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When dinner is made with only five ingredients, you can save so much time. It's a game changer - get our FREE cookbook for a limited time!

With two simple steps, Spicy Tomato Quinoa can be served before anyone says, “Is it ready yet?” The first step is making the quinoa. To give it an added boost of flavour, I like to cook the quinoa in vegetable broth. If you don’t have vegetable broth, you can substitute for chick broth, beef broth or water. I find that the veggie broth infuses the quinoa the with a hearty vegetable flavour, that really compliments the tomato sauce.

Once the quinoa is ready, you can put it aside and begin working on the sauce. You won’t believe how quickly this sauce comes together. Simply sauté the garlic and throw in the rest of the ingredients. The diced tomatoes, chickpeas, red pepper flakes, parsley, basil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper bubble and boil to create a perfect tomato sauce. Within 10 minutes your dinner is done. Easy, right?

All of the ingredients combine to create a power-punch of a dish. The tomatoes and chickpeas add a wonderful heartiness. The red pepper flakes add a zing of spice while the parsley, basil and balsamic vinegar create a comforting, Italian-style flavour. Together, you have a satisfying meal that’s healthy and delicious.

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