Sunday, April 5, 2015

Quinoa With Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms



cooked quinoa platter with vegetables
Caramelized onions and mushrooms smothered over a bed of  quinoa make this casserole-like side dish both delicious and filling.  It can be made in advance and heated for dinner or made for an upcoming party. It assembles easily, reheats quickly, and serves a crowd.

I actually made it for the vegetarians/vegans/ and gluten free guests at my holiday( Passover) Seder. Since I'm a gluten free vegetarian myself,  I  offered a diverse spread of my favorite vegan recipes including my Moroccan carrots ( big hit), string bean almondine, eggplant and tomato ratatouille, and this newcomer- the quinoa and caramelized onions. I also served a tomato and cucumber salad with fresh lemon cumin dressing, along with my vegan mock chopped liver.   
and broccoli rabe. 

vegan cooked vegetable medley






































To save time, I sautéed the onions and mushrooms the day before and kept them in the refrigerator
 ( However, my friend Laura , co-author of the cookbook Food No Matter What , says you can actually freeze sautéed onions and mushrooms to use when needed in any recipe).

I made my quinoa the day of my dinner party, and I then simply assembled the warm quinoa and my refrigerated sautéed onions and mushrooms in a large rectangular Pyrex (11 X 9 X 2)

Before the dinner, I baked it in the oven until it was piping hot. The mushrooms and onions ooze some liquid which imparts a delicious flavor into the quinoa.

I was so busy preparing for the Seder, that I forgot to take pictures. I only have the pictures of the leftovers.. Sorry.


Author; Judee Algazi
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Heating Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 
3 large onions, peeled and cut into half moons
3 eight ounces packages of sliced white mushrooms , rinsed and dried
1/4 cup olive oil ( or use olive oil spray and 2 Tablespoons olive oil)
1 and 1/2 cups of uncooked quinoa - cooked according to package directions

Directions: 

To cook quinoa: Follow directions on package

To Sautee onions and mushrooms: 
Add the olive oil to an electric frypan or a very large skillet. Sauté the onions very slowly ( caramelize them) until they begin to turn slightly reddish. Add your mushrooms to the onions( make sure they are dry of any water) and stir until they are cooked ( about 5 minutes) .  Remove from heat and set aside.

Cover the bottom of a large rectangular Pyrex with the quinoa. Cover with the mushrooms and onions. Serve immediately or save for later. If you serve it later. Bake it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes or until nice and hot. Some of the juice from the vegetables will soak into the quinoa making it very delicious.

Quick Summary: 
Step One: Prepare the quinoa according to package directions
Step Two: While the quinoa is cooking, sauté onions and mushrooms
Step Three: Assemble the cooked quinoa and mushrooms and onions in the Pyrex pam
Step Four : Serve immediately OR save in the refrigerator for later
Quinoa is not a technically a grain. It is considered a seed. Therefore it is gluten free. Interestingly it is higher in protein than most grains, so it is a healthy vegan choice.

Pyren 11 x 9 baking dish
I used this size pyrex pan ( 11 by 9 by 2 ) 

slice mushrooms and onions
I cut my onions in half moons and used large cut mushrooms
( this is only part of the quantity) 


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    Good food is my passion. I am gluten intolerant, busy. and strive for a healthy balanced lifestyle. It has taken me many years to develop and discover easy healthy recipes that meet gluten free, vegetarian/vegan and real food standards. On my blog I share my journey, my struggles, my discoveries, and my new recipes. I hope you find ideas, resources, and recipes that will be helpful to you. Come Back soon.



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    11 comments:

    1. Those vegetables are just what I enjoy on Passover. I debated using quinoa this year but in the end, decided to stay more traditional. I am not sure you got my email. I am having difficulty with my yahoo address and half the emails I send, go nowhere. If you didn't, it should be in my sent box and I will send it from gmail.

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. I didn't get your email. Pesach is a great time for lots of salad and vegetables. It has still been chilly so I've been making some of my 15 minute soups for dinner

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    2. I should learn more about quinoa. I've read many places about how healthy it is, but have not incorporated it into our diet...yet. Glad your new dish was a hit for the holiday!

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      Replies
      1. Hi Jendi,
        Quinoa is a nice change from rice and has more protein. It's light and fluffy and tastes great in stuffed vegetables like stuffed peppers or just as a pilaf side dish. I hope you will try this recipe. OH! use broth instead of water and it's even better.

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    3. That looks really nice - good to know quinoa is ok for Passover too!

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Quinoa is actually a seed , not a grain so yes it is perfectly acceptable for Passover.

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    4. Hi Judee,
      Your Quinoa with Caramelized Onions looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      ReplyDelete
      Replies
      1. Miz Helen,
        Thank you . We love anything smothered with mushrooms and onions. Yum !

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    5. Looks delicious, thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop, pinning.

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    6. Yum, this is so healthy and delicious. I am a big fan of quinoa so I can't wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing Quinoa With Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms with us at the Healthy, Happy, Green and Natural Party Blog Hop! I’m pinning and sharing!

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    7. This looks like a dish I need to make for my hubby. He is a mushroom and quinoa fanatic. Thank you for sharing at Merry Monday!

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