Quinoa Succotash

Ingredients

• 1 strip butter thick cut for another tbsp of butter if you want cut in half (note you can sub out the bacon )
• 1 cup quinoa dry
• 0.5 cup onion chopped
• 2 Tbsp butter 
• 1 cup ears corn fresh
• 0.5 cup baby lima beans (can sub edamame)
• 0.5 cup tomatoes fresh chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon thyme dried fresh chopped
• 0.5 cup water 
• 1 cup beef stock 
• 0.5 teaspoon butter unsalted (if using butter or stock)
• 0.3 cup spring onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons juice of lemon 

Equipment

• frying pan
• paper towels
• pot
• sieve

Directions

1. Place the bacon strip halves in a 3 to 4 quart, thick-bottomed pot.
2. Heat on medium heat and gently cook the bacon, turning every so often, so that much of the fat renders out.
3. When the bacon is lightly browned, remove it from the pot and place it on paper towels. Keep the fat in the pan. Chop the bacon and set aside.
4. Rinse the dry quinoa: While the bacon is cooking, place the quinoa in a fine mesh sieve and rinse until the water runs clear. Note that most quinoa packages suggest that you rinse before cooking. If you are using a quinoa brand that does not suggest rinsing, rinse anyway.
5. Add the chopped onion to the pot you used to cook the bacon, along with the butter. Cook on medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 3 or 4 minutes.
6. Add the quinoa:
7. Add the rinsed quinoa to the pot and increase the heat to medium high. Stir to combine the quinoa and onions.
8. Let cook for a couple minutes on medium high to high heat, until the onions and the quinoa get a hint of color.
9. Add the corn, baby lima beans, chopped tomato, chopped bacon, and thyme to the pot, and stir to combine.
10. Add the water and stock (and salt if using unsalted butter or stock).
11. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for another 5 minutes.
12. Stir in the lemon juice and chopped chives and/or green onions and fluff up with a fork.