Nice to Meet You Quinoa

Since becoming a vegetarian a year ago, I am always on the prowl for new foods that will help me incorporate more protein into my diet. While browsing my beloved pinterest (I'm seriously obsessed with this site...it has, perhaps mistakenly, made me believe that I can make anything), I found a slew of recipes that incorporated quinoa. If there's one thing that draws me to a recipe, it's a good, colorful picture. And there they were, by the dozens! I brought some quinoa before the holidays, but I basically didn't cook anything that took longer than 5 minutes between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it went unused...until today.

During lunch, Alicia (a fellow food and running enthusiast with equally fun recipes you should check out) and I were comparing recipe ideas, as we often do, and she unintentionally planted the seed of making stuffed portobello mushrooms in my head. After lunch, it was all I could think out. I thought I could hold out until next week, but alas I could not and ended up stopping at the store on my way home to gather the few ingredients I didn't have for the wonderful creation I envisioned making in my kitchen this evening. 

I have a surprisingly good streak with recipes going, but lets be honest, it has to end soon...just not today! Today, I present to you my version of stuffed portobello mushrooms. They came two to a package and I will definitely be making the second one in the very near future. Another delicious and protein filled meal for the books.

Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms [makes enough for 4-5 mushrooms]

Adopted from The Magazine of Yoga

Ingredients

• Portobello mushrooms (inside gills scooped out)
• 1/2 medium onion (diced)
• Garlic cloves (1-2 diced)
• 1 medium tomato (chopped)
• Baby spinach, uncooked (enough to create a layer on the inside of the mushroom)
• Quinoa (1 box, 4.8oz)--I had a quinoa/brown rice rosemary and olive oil blend on hand and used that
• Rosemary* (to taste) 
• Feta cheese (to top mushrooms with)
• Salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• Olive oil (for brushing mushrooms and sauteing veggies)

*I used this because the quinoa was already blended with it, and I love rosemary, but any herb can be used here

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Clean mushrooms and brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper
2. Cover baking sheet with foil (lots of liquid will come out of the mushrooms during cooking) and bake mushrooms for 10-15 minutes on each side
3. Cook quinoa according to instructions 
4. While mushrooms are baking, sauté onions and garlic until tender (2-3 minutes)
5. Add chopped tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, and rosemary; sauté til tender 
6. When mushroom and quinoa are done, combine onion/garlic/tomato mixture with quinoa. Layer the inside of the mushroom with baby spinach (I left it uncooked because it cooks so quickly, but it's your choice). Top spinach with quinoa mix and feta cheese. (I also sprinkled a little rosemary on top the feta, but again, I love this stuff). 
7. Broil filled mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, until feta starts to brown

This recipe is very versatile and can pretty much be edited depending on what you're in the mood for or what veggies are in season. Enjoy!