If you’ve resolved to eat better this year, quinoa is a terrific food to add to your grocery list. Of the many things I cook, quinoa is still one of the things that I’m asked the most about. How do you cook quinoa? What do you do with quinoa? Is quinoa good for you? What does quinoa taste like? Quinoa is not only easy and fast to cook, but it’s also gluten-free and packed full of nutrients. Quinoa a great source of protein and a great source of antioxidants.  It’s also one of the only plant foods that contain all of the amino acids. Not too shabby, eh?

I love to use quinoa in a myriad of recipes, some of them cold and some of them hot. If you’re looking for a delicious gluten-free salad recipe to take to your next gathering, check out my Mediterranean quinoa salad that’s packed full of veggies. If you’re just wanting an easy stuffed mushroom recipe, my stuffed portobello mushrooms with Italian sausage and quinoa are a perfect meal.

 When it all comes down to it though, my quinoa with mushrooms, scallions and thyme recipe is still the first one I recommend. It’s flavorful, easy to prepare and most people really love it.

This recipe doesn’t involve a ton of ingredients or prep time. Aside from quinoa, garlic, scallions, and mushrooms are the main ingredients, with thyme bringing in a hint of herbiness.

Quinoa with Mushrooms, Scallions and Thyme Recipe

• 1 generous tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 6 scallions, sliced thinly
• 6 portabello mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 cup pre-rinsed quinoa
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and quickly stir. Add scallions and stir again. Saute for about 30 seconds, add mushrooms and saute for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add thyme and stir.  Add broth or water, bring to a boil and then add quinoa. Bring back to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring once 1/2 way through cooking time.

When almost all of the liquid is absorbed, shut off heat and let sit, still covered, for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Quinoa is a little bit nutty and makes a great substitution for rice or pasta in a number of dishes. Once you’ve cooked with it, you’ll find it’s very versatile.

When I first started cooking with quinoa years ago, you had to rinse, and rinse, and rinse it some more, to get rid of the soapy flavor that’s inherent to unrinsed quinoa. Now, most quinoa comes pre-rinsed and you can find it in a number of colors. The one I used in the photos is an heirloom blend of different colors.

As a final note, don’t hesitate to change out the mushrooms if you’re not a fan of them or simply don’t have any on hand. I’ve made this with asparagus, broccoli and without any veggie at all and it’s delicious any way you make it.

Enjoy and Happy 2017!