After my last post of sinful (yummy) cake pops, I figured I should come back to reality and post a normal healthy meal. I try to eat nutritious normally but definitely indulge on the occasional treat. Lately I have been trying to eat more vegetables so when I found a recipe for Quinoa with Mushrooms, Kale and Sweet Potatoes I knew I should give it a try. This recipe was in the September edition of Real Simple. This is a vegetarian meal that is also gluten-free.
Have you cooked with quinoa before? I have a few times and the preparation is very similar to cooking rice (bring quinoa and water to a boil then simmer allowing quinoa to absorb the liquid). Quinoa is a whole grain that has been part of cuisines all over the world for thousands of years. Only recently has it become popular in North America. As a whole grain, quinoa is filling and is a great substitute for rice or barley. The texture of quinoa is light and almost airy. I still like rice more but quinoa is a great alternative.
I was afraid this dish would be bland but the olive oil, white wine, garlic, parmesan and black pepper provided a nice flavor to the quinoa and veggies. This dish wasn’t totally bursting with flavor but wasn’t bland at all. I also liked the texture of all the vegetables together. I love sweet potatoes and kale but don’t normally care for mushrooms. In this dish, however, the mushrooms were a nice addition. For those of you who haven’t had kale, it’s a green leafy vegetable. It’s heartier and tougher than spinach – which is a good thing; it holds up well in a dish like this one.
This meal is served hot and makes a great dinner option for the fall. I also made plenty for leftovers and it was just as good the following day. Enjoy!
dishin' 