Description
A recipe for hearty grain bowls featuring roasted umami mushrooms and a bright, fresh kale pesto. This meal is naturally vegetarian and easily made vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake), sliced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 cups fresh kale leaves, packed, tough stems removed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (for vegan option)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4 cup pine nuts or sunflower seeds (for nut-free)
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water (or more, for thinning)
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas (optional, for protein)
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa: Combine quinoa and water/broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
- Prepare the mushrooms: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the sliced mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring halfway, until browned and tender.
- Make the kale pesto: Combine kale, basil, nutritional yeast (if using), garlic, pine nuts or seeds, lemon juice, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Slowly drizzle in the 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil while the processor runs until the pesto is mostly smooth. Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide the cooked quinoa among four bowls. Top each serving with a portion of the roasted mushrooms and cooked chickpeas (if using).
- Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of the fresh kale pesto over the mushrooms and quinoa. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For a nut-free pesto, substitute sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for pine nuts.
- To make this recipe gluten-free, confirm your quinoa is certified gluten-free.
- If you prefer a richer pesto flavor without nutritional yeast, substitute 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (this makes the recipe vegetarian, not vegan).
- You can sauté the mushrooms instead of roasting; cook them in a skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil until deeply browned.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 25 min
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Roasting and Blending
- Cuisine: Modern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 19
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 10
- Protein: 18
- Cholesterol: 0