Quinoa with Mushrooms and Broccoli

In my efforts to incorporate healthier meals into our weekly meals I am working hard to find healthy substitutions for some of our favorite dishes. Over the last several years Robert and I have become big fans of risotto, but the complex carbs in the rice, and amount of cheese make it less than ideal when it comes to trying to eat great and lose weight.

A few months ago when I was googling risotto recipes for different ingredient combinations, I came across a recipe that replaced arborio rice with the grain quinoa. Not knowing what quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) was I quickly moved past the recipe. A few weeks ago Robert and I were discussing nutrition with our trainer and he mentioned that quinoa is a whole grain that's packed with protein.

So this week I decided to make quinoa with ingredients I love in risotto, mushrooms and broccoli. One of the things I love the most about this quinoa recipe is that it is much less involved than risotto, but has a similar taste and texture. If you like risotto and you're trying to eat healthier, you should try this recipe.

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Quinoa with Mushrooms and Broccoli


Ingredients
1 cup rinsed quinoa
2 cups salted water
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 package sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 package shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 head of broccoli cut into florets
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1 cup dry white wine
Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Bring the 2 cups of salted water to boil in a  medium saucepan. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered until the water is fully absorbed, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, steam the broccoli for 12 minutes and set aside.

While the broccoli and quinoa are cooking, heat the butter in a skillet over medium high heat.

 Add the onions and saute until browned, about 6 minutes.

 Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes more.

 Add the mushrooms and thyme and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.

Pour in the wine and simmer until the wine has reduced and thickened slighty, about 8 minutes.

 Add the quinoa

 and the broccoli

 and stir to combine.

Serve with shaved parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit