Quinoa Loaf With Mushrooms and Peas

JanuaryBride's Note:

Per Whole Foods website, "Welcome spring--or vegetarian guests--to your table with this delicious main-course recipe that is destined to become a favorite for family and feasts alike. For killer veggie burgers, serve any leftover slices on toasted whole wheat buns with lettuce and spicy mustard." Quinoa can be expensive in chain grocery stores, however they do sell it in bulk at Whole Foods very inexpensively and I have gotten it at Super Walmart as well.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 8

Yield: 1.0 loaf

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1 onion)
• salt & fresh ground pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup rolled oats (I used barley flakes with great results)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (I cooked mine in veggie broth for added flavor)
• 1 cup frozen green pea
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme (optional)
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
• 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning (I like Spike, but Greek seasoning would be great too)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, put beans, oats and 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. In a large bowl, combine mushrooms/onions, bean mixture, quinoa, peas, parsley, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan, gently pressing down and mounding it in the middle. Bake until firm and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving. (NOTE: I made this into mini loaves for portion control and cooked them for 25 minutes at 350 degrees and they were very dry. . .I do not recommend making them into mini loaves or patties).

Reviews

[smellyvegetarian]

This was quite good! My quite carnivorous DH even agreed, which NEVER happens with a veggie loaf. The quinoa adds a really nice texture (plus protein--yay!), and I left some chunks in my bean/oat puree that added texture as well. Per JB's advice I cooked the quinoa (about 2/3 c dry came out to 2 cups for me) in veggie broth, which added a nice layer of flavor. I wish I had added more salt and pepper, though--for some reason the mixture was very flavorful but the cooked product was less so. Hmm. I served it with a vegetarian version of Kittencal's Easy Make Anytime Fat-Free Gravy, mashed potatoes, and broccoli roasted with olive oil and kosher salt. Yummy meal! I froze the leftovers and can't wait to pull them out on veggie burger night--I can totally see how this would make a great sandwich! Made for Veg*n Swap, October 2010.

[Cookgirl]

I had a major problem with the loaf not holding its shape even though I followed the recipe exactly. It fell apart when I tried slicing it up. What did I do wrong? However, we all loved the taste especially with the gravy (Kittencal's Easy Make Anytime Fat-Free Gravy). Will make again but with some help and guidance. Reviewed for Veg Tag October.

[Prose]

I really enjoyed this recipe! It is a taste of spring, and the quinoa gives it a great texture. I made it as directed and served it with roasted potatoes and Oven-Roasted Kale. It was easy to throw together and very nutritious. Made for Veg*n Swap, July 2010.