Brussels Sprouts & Mushroom Saute with Quinoa

I had been thinking about this dish all week before I actually made it. There were some mushrooms  in the refrigerator along with some Brussels sprouts. For some reason the idea of sauteing them together sounded good and the dish evolved from there. It ended up exactly how I imagined- better actually. I love combining different textures, so this dish does not disappoint. There is a base of quinoa, the wilted greens, and some crunch from cashews and a little bacon. When I was done eating I wished I could eat it all over again. This is a very simple, yet satisfying meal. Enjoy!

Brussels Sprouts and Mushroom Saute with Quinoa
Serves 2 (the picture above was amounts for 1 serving)

3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 tbsp oil (I use grapeseed)
1 1/2 cups chicken broth/stock
~1 pound Brussels sprouts, cut into strips as above (~ 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 slices bacon, diced (optional)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup cashews, toasted
splash of white wine (optional or chicken stock)

1. In a pot heat oil and add quinoa and cook until lightly toasted. (This adds more depth of flavor to the quinoa). Once toasted, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
2. In a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp and then remove pieces to a paper towel. Leave enough fat in the pan to cover the bottom. If not using bacon, heat 1 tbsp oil or enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Add Brussels sprouts and mushrooms and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes or until greens are slightly wilted and mushrooms are cooked. Add splash of wine and/ or chicken broth and cook until liquid is gone, 1-2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fill bottom of a bowl with cooked quinoa, top with Brussels sprout mixture, garnish with bacon (if using) and cashews.

Nutrition Analysis: Per serving-Calories 390, Total Fat 12g, Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 10mg, Total Carbohydrate 51g, Dietary Fiber 13g, Sugar 7g, Protein 17g
Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 330%, Calcium 8%, Iron 20%

Coconut Kale Rice Bowl

If I were to design a perfect day for myself it would be relatively simple. Sure there are so many places and countries I would love to be able to spend a day in, but my perfect day of relaxing would involve laying outside on a hot sunny day by a pool or other body of water, reading and just lounging. I love the sun and warmth- I feel like my body is a sponge just soaking it up. I think growing up in Montana which has hot and cold extremes and where the cold usually lasts a lot longer than the warmth, I appreciate warm, sunny days. During the summer months I would rather be outside doing almost anything than being in doors. The past few days have been a treat for March in Minnesota. It has been in the 60s-70s, warm and sunny. I have been using the trails outside our house, taking Jake for longer walks, and sitting out on our patio. Last night Aaron was gone, and so I ate my dinner out on the patio. It was this coconut kale bowl with cashews, alongside it I had some apricot goat cheese smeared on whole wheat flax pita crackers. It was so healthy yet filling and eating it outdoors just felt like I was treating my body right. I love bowl meals as you might have guessed, Thai curry , black bean burrito bowl, green risotto, steak salad bowl  peanut noodle bowl, veggie stir-fry bowl, chicken sausage with peppers and penne bowl and many others I have not posted. There is something comforting about sitting down to a meal served in a large bistro bowl. Last night I made this bowl based on recipes from Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks, book Super Natural Every Day and Joy the Baker. I used a mixture of red and brown rice cooked in chicken broth for mine since I haven’t been able to find any faro yet. I also didn’t have large shredded coconut, but the small shavings worked fine to me. I also added some toasted cashews which paired nicely with the nuttiness of the sesame oil. This dish is basically a warm, crispy, crunchy salad and I think you will enjoy it as much as I did! Enjoy!

Coconut Kale Rice Bowl

(serves 1)

1 cup cooked rice or faro (I cooked in chicken broth for more flavor)

~2 cups lightly packed kale

¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

1 oz chopped cashews

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp chili sauce (optional)

½ tsp garlic powder (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine sesame oil, soy sauce, olive oil and chili sauce and garlic powder if using. Add the kale and coconut and mix until covered with the oils.
2. Lay coconut, kale mixture on a sheet of parchment paper on a large roasting pan.
3. Place pan in oven and bake for about 10 minutes, redistribute and then cook for another 3-8 minutes or until kale is crispy but not burnt
4. While kale is cooking, place cashews in a dry pan on the stove. Heat to medium and toast until nuts are starting to brown and you begin to smell the nuts toasting. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Place rice in the bottom of a large bowl, top with coconut and kale mixture and cashews. Add more chili sauce or more dressing if desired.