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These tomatoes are so brilliantly red, sweet, and delicious and were handpicked right from the vine. They looked very ripe, but still have the crunch when you take a bite which is really refreshing. You can also use this salad as stuffing for grilled cheese sandwich, which by the way, the best stuffed grilled cheese sandwich I’ve ever had. See recipe below.
I have been circling around the kitchen trying to look for something to eat for breakfast. I see oatmeal, pancakes, cereal, just the typical food everyone normally consumes everyday. But, I wanted something refreshing without leaving me that feeling of “I want something else”. Then I saw these brilliantly red tomatoes screaming to be eaten. However, they looked too beautiful to eat. 
I normally use tomatoes when I make salsa or sandwiches for my family, but that’s going to be a lot of sandwiches if I have to use all these tomatoes. I don’t have that many people to feed. I don’t feel like making salsa today either.
While I was cooking an egg for breakfast, I remember my mother would always make tomato salad to complement eggs and seafood anytime of the day. It was so refreshing and I thought it would go very well with the boiled egg. Then the quinoa and pesto came to mind. When I’m a bit downcast, I cook and eat rice with anything. It’s my “go to” comfort food in time like today. To substitute rice, quinoa would be it. I bought some “ready-to-eat” quinoa the other day and it would be a perfect addition to the tomato salad and the basil pesto as the perfect seasoning. A superb outcome. This would be a great side dish to seafood and chicken or better yet, stuffing in between grilled cheese sandwich. 🙂
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Ingredients for the salad:
- 1 serving of cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup basil pesto
- 3 large vine ripe tomatoes
- 1 boiled egg
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation Methods:
Cut the tomatoes in bite pieces. Place in a bowl. Add the basil pesto.
Mix until well incorporated.
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Add the quinoa.
Mix well to combine.
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Serve with boiled eggs. Smile it’s good for you 
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Stuffed Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Ingredients: 2 slices multigrain bread, 2 tablespoons pesto basil, 1 slice cheddar cheese, 1 creamy white cheese, pesto tomato and quinoa salad, butter.
Preparation Methods:
- Butter one side of bread. Add and layer pesto sauce, white cheese, cheddar cheese, tomato and quinoa salad and another creamy white cheese.
- Place the bread with the butter side down on the skillet and cook over very low heat.
- Put the other bread on top of the cheese. Press down the bread to flattened (Panini style) while cooking. When the bread at the bottom turned brown, butter the top side of the bread. Flip over to the other side.
- Cover the skillet with a lid. (This will melt the cheese faster)
- Brown until the cheese is all melted.
I was supposed to give my husband the other half of the sandwich, but it was so good I ended up eating the entire sandwich. 😀
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As I was editing/proofreading my post, my husband saw the pictured above. He asked why I didn’t make one for him. I scrolled back up and had him read my comment (above the picture). He said he really wanted one because it looks so good. To compensate, I went down to the kitchen and made one. Fortunately, I had one scoop of the tomato and quinoa salad left. I used a slice of white bread and a slice of multigrain bread. He’s eating it as I try to finish this post. 🙂 Here’s the other half of what I’ve made for him. This gives me an idea about breakfast tomorrow. Mmm…I’m definitely making it! 🙂
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