Quinoa with Green Lentils and a Mushroom Gravy
It’s been a while since I have had the luxury of posting a recipe. This lovely dish can be eaten as a side dish or as the main course. For this recipe I used French green lentils for their firm texture after cooking, and the peppery kick they add to the dish. Interestingly enough the peppery flavor is said to come from the volcanic soil they are grown in. As a soil nerd, this tickles my fancy! This is the first recipe I am posting from my iPad in HTML so I’m keeping my fingers crosses everything comes out beautifully!
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
1 cup of French Green Lentils
1 cup Dry Quinoa
2 cups Vegetable Broth
1/2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/4 cup Shallots, minced
1/2 Clove Garlic, minced
8 oz Brown Mushrooms, sliced into large pieces (you can also use canned mushrooms)
1 cup Mushroom Broth
2 tsp Arrowroot
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup Walnuts, toasted & chopped
Fresh Parsley to garnish (optional)
Instructions:
Add broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add lentils, boil for 2 or 3 minutes then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender. Cook for 45 minutes or till tender.
Add broth and quinoa into a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, till liquid is absorbed.
Remove from heat and add lentils, lightly toss together. Set aside.
In a sauce pan heat olive oil and add shallots, cook until translucent (add vegetable stock if needed for moisture).
Add mushrooms and garlic and sear lightly, adding a little stock if needed. Set aside.
In a small sauce pan heat mushroom stock to a light boil, whisk in arrowroot until smooth. Reduce heat and cook until sauce reduces and thickens. Add sauce to mushroom skillet to glaze mushrooms.
Pour this mixture over lentils and quinoa.
If you have some raw walnuts then set the oven to 200 degrees and pop a handful of walnuts into the oven. Let roast for about 10 mins, shaking the pan periodically. I always taste test them!
Garnish with parsley and walnuts then enjoy!
