Hearty Winter Veggie Pilaf

Submitted by januarybride

"This vegan main course looks wonderful. . .and its a Rachael Ray quick meal from her magazine Feb 2010. I am a huge fan of brussels sprouts and I am always looking for new ways to serve up quinoa, so I have high hopes for this recipe. She suggests adding some diced bacon or ham if your diet allows."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups quinoa
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb mushroom, preferably shiitake, sliced
• 3 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced separately
• 1⁄2 cup pine nuts
• 1⁄4 cup dried currant (may sub cranberries)
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb Brussels sprout, quartered lengthwise
• 1⁄4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

directions

1. In a fine-mesh sieve, rinse the quinoa. Transfer to a large pot of boiling, salted water and simmer covered until almost tender, about 12 minutes; turn off heat and allow to rest, covered, for 15 minutes (at this point it should be tender).
2. While the quinoa is cooking, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the scallion whites, pine nuts and dried currants; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the nuts are light golden, about 2 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
3. In the same skillet, heat another 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the brussels sprouts and 1/8 cup water; season with salt (I recommend seasoning salt) and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Toss with the mushroom mixture, quinoa, scallion greens, parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Reviews

[astivers22]

I loved this recipe! I used portabella mushrooms and I subbed toasted slivered almonds for the pine nuts and dried cranberries for the currants. I had never served brussel sprouts for the family, and I wasn't sure the hubby would dig it, so I added some diced bacon, as well. It turned out fantastic! We served it along-side broiled salmon. Also, it's a great flavorful recipe to serve my son on his gluten free diet. Thanks for sharing!

 

[smcsf11]

Wonderful ingredients, and I'm sure I will feel wonderfully healthy after eating it for lunch and be alert all afternoon. But it ended up a bit bland, except for the delightful currents and pinenuts. I am carefully continuing to add salt. I think I overdid both the quinoa and the mushrooms a little bit; I don't know if that's contributing to the blandness. And used portabello and oyster and shiitake. Maybe all shiitake would be more flavorful. Ham or bacon seems like a strange combo to add but would make it more flavorful of course.

 

[DDBirdsall]

Wonderful flavor and healthy ingredients! My whole family loved this. The quinoa, brussel sprouts and mushrooms are a delicious medley. I used regular white mushrooms which tasted great. I had to substitute onion for the scallions and pumpkin seeds for pine nuts as well as cranberries for the currents but it worked great. I also added some fennel bulb, since I needed to use it up. I did use 2 TBSPN butter and 2 TBSPN olive oil, but I think just olive oil would be fine. Do be sure your sieve will hold all the boiled quinoa, as it does puff up during boiling.

 

[UmmBinat]

As a base I used barrberries and organic Thompson raisins as cranberries. No pine nuts no Brussels sprouts, organic cooking onion, ghee no oil.