Snap Pea Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

Quinoa risotto.

You read that right. It actually tastes quite splendid.

I studded this with snap peas and baby shiitake mushrooms. They provide great flavor and texture—pops of sweetness and umami. But feel free to play around with different combinations. Though this is a vegan dish, the quinoa provides plenty of protein to make it a complete meal.

I'm also still in love with this organic tri-color quinoa blend from Trader Joe's.

How can you resist?

Snap Pea Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

Serves 2 people
Cooking time: about twenty minutes
Vegan; gluten-free

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups snap peas
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
extra stock for consistency
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Rinse the quinoa. Add the vegetable stock and the quinoa to a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 15 minutes (or per package instructions). Remove from heat.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and reduce heat to medium. Saute for a few minutes, until softening. Add the snap peas and the mushrooms. Cook for about five minutes, or until the snap peas are tender.

3. Add the white wine to the vegetables. Bring to a simmer and reduce in half. Add the quinoa and stir to combine. More chicken stock may be added to the pan to adjust the consistency. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Enjoy!

Meatless Monday: Stir-Fried Snap Peas, Bell Peppers & Shitake Mushrooms

Stir-Fried Snap Peas, Bell Peppers & Shitake Mushrooms

Just this weekend, a friend was asking me on Twitter if I knew any vegetable recipes for kids. That got me to thinking today that it's been a little while since I've posted a straight up vegetable dish, even though I make them all the time.

Usually inspired by my farmers market finds, I find that my creativity comes out best when I'm working with vegetables (not protein). The textures, the colors, the flavors, the ever-changing seasonal inventory are what get me excited. I plan my meals around vegetables and fruits, not the other way around.

So today, here's a simple recipe that I make all the time for Stir-Fried Snap Peas, Bell Peppers & Shitake Mushrooms. This dish cooks up in a flash. I saute the vegetables quickly in my cast iron skillet, finishing them with a little low sodium tamari and a sprinkling of sesame seeds. I've noticed beautiful peppers and peas at the farmers market over the last few weeks, so take advantage of them.

Stir-Fried Snap Peas, Bell Peppers & Shitake Mushrooms
Serves 4 people
Cooking time: about 7 minutes
Vegan, gluten-free 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped
• pinch of chili flakes (optional)
• 2 cups snap peas
• 2 cups red bell peppers, julienned
• 1 cup shitake mushrooms, julienned
• 1 tablespoon low sodium tamari
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a saute pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. 
2. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for one minute.
3. Add the snap peas, peppers, and mushrooms and reduce the heat to medium. Saute until becoming tender (about 3-4 minutes), stirring occasionally.
4. Add the tamari and the sesame seeds. Cook for one more minute or until all the vegetables are tender. Enjoy!

Source for Ingredients

• snap peas, bell peppers, baby shitake mushrooms, and garlic from West Hollywood Farmers Market 
• organic low sodium tamari from Whole Foods
• sesame seeds from Trader Joe's 

Snap Pea, Bell Pepper And Sesame Salad

It's June, summer is here, the temperatures are creeping up the mercury.  Every year, when I feel the weather shift, I shift my diet, too.  I stop braising and start grilling.  I trade in roasted vegetables for all manner of salads.  Here's a great one I made the other night as a side dish.  It's simple--filled with raw snap peas and yellow bell peppers--and tossed with lemon juice, sesame oil and sesame seeds.  The combination is stunningly scrumptious and refreshing.

It's also super healthy.  For starters, snap peas are bursting with health benefits.  They're loaded with 8 vitamins, 7 minerals, dietary fiber and protein.  Brightly colored bell peppers, like the yellow ones used in this recipe, are health superstars, full of Vitamin C and A, as well as a host of other nutrients.  Meanwhile, sesame seeds are no slackers in the health department.  Not only are they "a very good source of manganese and copper, but they are also a good source of calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc and dietary fiber." 

Snap Pea, Bell Pepper And Sesame Salad
Serves 4 people
Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients
2 cups raw snap peas, larger ones halved
2 yellow, orange or red bell peppers, julienned
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
1 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
salt and pepper

Directions
Toss the snap peas and bell peppers with the sesame seeds, lemon juice and sesame oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Enjoy!

Source For Ingredients
snap peas, organic yellow bell peppers and organic lemons from Trader Joe's

black sesame seeds (Gomasio) and toasted sesame oil from Whole Foods

Music On Tap

The National - High Violet

"High Violet, the new full-length record by the National, is a nervy, melodic, explosive and beautiful set of songs that find the band at the height of their collaborative powers. The music is wide-ranging in its moods, by turns intimate and rough, expansive and spare, full of stark angles and atmosphere."
--From Amazon