One of the Best Quinoa Recipes! It Has Bacon!

I know. I know…. I’m going to get a lot of hate mail for this one. Yes, it’s true – I took the wonderfully healthy, light, protein-packed, super food wonder grain (technically it’s a seed, but we eat it like a grain) we all know and love – Quinoa –  and paired it with arguably one of the most unhealthy food groups ever – bacon! (Yes, I believe bacon is its own food group). It turns classic quinoa into one of the best (and easiest) quinoa recipes ever! 

Hear me out on this. You’ll be glad you did. We are a family of bacon lovers. (In fact, I even wrote a post on how to make perfect bacon every single time!) I put bacon in pretty much any dish that can handle it. I use it diced, chopped, and in whole strips. I bake it. I sauté it. I cook my veggies in bacon grease… We love bacon.

But I also make it a point to put healthy, well-balanced meals on the family dinner table. My meals always have a protein (like this baked chicken), a starch (potatoes are always a hit), and a veggie (Brussels sprouts are the all time family favorite). And the best case scenario is when I can add bacon to any of the above. That way we get healthy stuff and our favorite food group all in one.

I’ve found, however, that’s not always possible. Take quinoa, for example. The light, fluffy, nutty grain (seed) has become one of my favorite go-tos. But the quinoa’s micro-texture does not lend itself to being mixed with chunky bacon. What’s a girl to do? Then, as if by divine intervention, I was contacted by the nice folks at The Bacon Jams who offered to send me a jar of  the Original Bacon Jams Spread. Now, I’ll admit… I was a bit skeptical at first. I received an 8 ounce jar of  bacon. As you already know, I’ve made and served bacon every way I thought possible. Well,  I never knew there was such a thing as jarred bacon! And this is real bacon. Actual full-on bacon. Bacon in a jar. Bacon that you can spread. It smells like bacon, and it tastes like bacon. It just doesn’t exactly look like bacon.

Then it dawned on me… that silky spreadable bacon-in-a-jar may just be the perfect way to add smoky, flavorful bacon to my quinoa! Genius! Not only was it one of the easiest quinoa recipes I’ve ever made, it actually tasted great! It’s a match made in heaven. Healthy, nutty, light, protein-filled quinoa laced with the aroma, smokiness, and flavor of bacon. It’s a wonderful addition to my ever-growing list of quinoa recipes. And I see nothing wrong with taking earthy, hearty, healthy quinoa and kicking it up a notch. Send the hate mail if you wish. I’ll be reading it with a smile of my face as I eat bite after bite of heavenly bacon quinoa.

[wpurp-searchable-recipe]One of the Best Quinoa Recipes! It Has Bacon! – This is one of the best quinoa recipes – a fantastic combination of healthy and good for you, and tasty and bacon-y. Using The Bacon Jams spread makes it easy to infuse classic quinoa with smoky bacon. – chicken broth, salt, White Quinoa (Rinsed), Bacon Jams Spread, green onions (Sliced crosswise. Green parts for garnish), , Bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium pot. Add salt. Slowly add rinsed quinoa. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Add Bacon Jams Spread one tablespoon at a time and fluff with a fork to fully incorporate. Garnish with green onions and dig in! ; ; – – Side Dish – Cooking for a Crowd – Easy – Side Dish[/wpurp-searchable-recipe]