Southwestern Quinoa & Portabella Tacos

I made a big batch of southwestern style Quinoa to last me a whole week :) !! While plain Quinoa is amazing by itself in sweet and savory dishes, this southwestern version totally blows it out of the ball park! 

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup Quinoa
2. 1 cup mild Salsa
3. 2 Portabello mushrooms, Sliced
4. 1/2 cup Snow Peas
5. 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
6. 2 Whole wheat tortillas

Directions:

Rinse quinoa and prepare as I've described previously (How to Prepare Quinoa). To make 'Southwestern' style quinoa, a version similar to Spanish rice served in Mexican restaurants across the country, I simply added fresh homemade salsa while preparing quinoa. In order to ensure that I could add Salsa without overwhelming my quinoa with liquid, I used a large mesh strainer to drain all of the liquid from the salsa into a measuring cup. Then, I made up the volume I needed with tap water.  I mixed the Salsa solids with the dry quinoa and added the measured amount of liquid to cook the quinoa. Once done, fluff with a fork for the best consistency. 

Separately, line a skillet with water and add taco seasoning. Once mixed, add the snow peas and cook for a few minutes and then add the sliced mushrooms. Toss well and cook for a couple more minutes until done. Wrap tortillas in aluminum foil and warm in an oven set to 350F (takes 4-5 minutes).

Prepare Tacos by layering quinoa and veggies. I didn't have any fresh greens today, but a nice layer of baby spinach would definitely add a nice crunch to it as well. Overall a yummy no-added-fat dinner that was ready in 15-20 minutes.

* For a mild Salsa combine the following in a food processor.

1. 2 large or extra-large fresh Tomatoes
2. 2 Green Onions/Scallions
3. 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro leaves
4. 1 clove of Garlic
5. 1/4 Jalapeño (deseeded)
6. Juice of 1 lime
7. Salt, to taste

Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms & Snow Peas

A quiet Friday evening after a hectic week just called out (quite desperately) for a quick and easy meal. I decided to go with a super-quick stir fry, and some broiled veggies, again super-quick. My whole meal was ready in 10 minutes, and although I've tried all 3 of the vegetables I made before, I'm going to add 2 of them to my New Veggie list as these aren't on my 'regular' list. New Veggie #20 happens to be Snow Peas. 

Stir-Fried Oyster Mushrooms & Snow Peas

Prep Time: 5-7 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 cup Snow Peas
2. 2-4 oz Oyster Mushrooms (New Veggie #14)
3. 2 tsp Earth Balance buttery spread 
4. 1 tbsp Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
5. 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
6. Sea salt, to taste
7. Black pepper, freshly ground

Directions:

In a large skillet, or wok, on medium heat, melt butter and add snow peas. Toss for a few minutes and add mushrooms and sauces. Toss for another few seconds. Turn off heat, and remove pan from heat to prevent over-cooking of veggies. Serve sprinkled with sea salt and black pepper. 

My Assessment: I've had Snow Peas before, in fact, I had them earlier this year too ;) I just didn't remember that I had used them in my Spicy Oyster Lo-Mein at the beginning of the month ... haa! I must be getting old ... obviously my memory is failing me. I really liked this combination of Oyster mushrooms and snow peas too.  I had a phenomenal dinner this evening. Lots of whole veggies, lots of protein, lots of flavor. I paired this stir-fry with broiled asparagus .. nom, nom, nom!! 

Veggie Fact of the Day

Snow Peas

Snow peas have thin flat pods with tiny seeds inside when ready to eat. They are related to peas, and are not just immature peas as some people believe .. that is, snow pea pods will not produce peas. The cool thing about snow peas? You can hold up the pods to a light and count the tiny peas inside :) !! They are completely edible and are eaten whole, without being shelled. Snow peas can be eaten raw, in salads, or cooked. Most often, snow peas are used in oriental dishes such as stir fries. Snow peas are an excellent source of protein, dietary fiber, vitamins C, A and B9 (folic acid), and minerals such as Iron, potassium and calcium. In fact, snow peas are higher in calcium and vitamin A than other type peas, plus are lower in calories.

Spicy Oyster Lo-Mein

I might as well admit it myself before one of you makes a comment about it. I'm on a mushroom kick right now. In the past 2 weeks, on my New Veggie Quest, I have tried porcini, shiitake and today .. New Vegetable #14, is also a mushroom. This time it is the Oyster Mushroom!  

I really enjoy mushrooms in stir fries and have been thinking about making Vegetable Lo-Mein from the Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook by Lindsay Nixon. When I opened up the recipe today, I realized I didn't have several of the ingredients listed in it, so I decided to improvise, and use my Oyster mushrooms at the same time ... the end result was definitely to my liking ... 

Oyster Lo-Mein

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients: 

1. 4-6 oz fresh oyster mushrooms, sliced
2. 4-8 oz fresh snow peas, whole
3. 2 tsp minced garlic
4. 1/2 cup vegetable broth
5. 2 tbsp Soy sauce
6. 2 tbsp Annie Chun's Chinese Stir Fry Sauce
7. 2-3 tbsp Nutritional Yeast (heaping)
8. 1 cup boiled spaghetti
9. 1-2 tsp Red pepper flakes (optional)
10. Salt and pepper (freshly ground), to taste.

Directions:

Boil spaghetti and set aside. In a skillet on medium heat, add vegetable broth and garlic. Allow the garlic to release its aroma and add sauces, mix and add snow peas. Cook down for a few minutes, and then add mushrooms. Mix well, and then add spaghetti. Add salt to taste, cover and let sit for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve, with red pepper flakes (optional) and freshly ground black pepper.

The nutritional yeast makes the noodles just a tad sticky. If you want a more authentic look, you might hold back on the NY. I like it as its a great source of Vitamin B12, in my otherwise 100% plant-based diet.