October 6, 2016

Kale and Quinoa Salad Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Apples and Pecans

We are just cruising right along through the first week of October. Seriously, how do the days go by so quickly? Ugh.

So what are your thoughts about Halloween? Personally, I find the entire month of October rather terrifying. I’m a big scaredy-cat when it comes to all things associated with ghosts, zombies, clowns, etc. In fact, I can’t even stand to watch the previews for Halloween movies, let alone sit through an entire 2 hour horror film. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up just thinking about it. Eeeek!

Probably the only thing I like about Halloween is all the candy. Just being honest.

Anyways, let’s talk about something less scary. Like kale. And mushrooms. And quinoa. And all sorts of other yummy vegetarian things.

So, I was looking at the recipes that I’ve been making lately and a common theme emerged: everything seemed rather orange. From squash to sweet potatoes to carrots. It was all similarly hued.

Orange is actually one of my favorite colors. But it still all seemed a bit too much. So I got motivated to make something green (or at least partially green). And hence, the recipe for these Kale and Quinoa Salad Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Apples and Pecans was born.

Stuffed mushrooms seem like they would generally be a healthy choice. But often times they are not. That’s because they tend to get loaded up with cheese, breadcrumbs and butter. Which are all delicious things, of course. But not always the best for you or your waistline. So I try to keep my stuffed mushrooms on the lighter side by filling them with seasonal salads.

This salad of apples, pecan, baby kale and quinoa is pretty gosh darn good all on it’s own. And you could certainly serve it as is. But I think it’s even better when paired with these roasted mushrooms. The contrast of flavors and textures is spot on.

I like to buy baby kale leaves, because they are really tender. But if you can’t find them, just thinly slice some regular (grown up?) kale leaves into thin ribbons. Easy peasy.

Oh and I almost forgot that it’s 30 Minute Thursday! Scroll down below the recipe to find links to some other great dishes that can all be made in 30 minutes or less. There ain’t nothing scary about that!

Cheers,

Liz

Kale and Quinoa Salad Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Apples and Pecans

Yield: Makes 6 mushrooms

Ingredients

• For the Stuffed Mushrooms
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 6 Portobello mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 cups loosely packed baby kale leaves
• 1 small red apple, cored and chopped
• 1/4 cup pecans

• For the Dressing
• 2 tablespoons fresh apple cider
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. maple syrup
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the quinoa and turn down the heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook the quinoa until all the water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fluff the quinoa with a fork and then cover the saucepan and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and then place a baking rack over top. Remove and discard the stems from the Portobello mushrooms. Using a spoon, scrape out and discard the gills. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Then brush both sides with the extra-virgin olive oil. Place the mushrooms on the baking rack gill side down. Then season the tops with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and bake for about 18-20 minutes. The mushrooms should be soft, but still firm enough to hold their shape. Remove from the oven and set aside.
3. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Add the cooked quinoa, kale, chopped apple and pecans to a large bowl. Pour the dressing over top and toss gently until everything is well coated. Flip the mushrooms over so the gill side is facing up. Then fill each mushroom with some of the salad mixture. Serve immediately.

3.1

https://www.floatingkitchen.net/kale-and-quinoa-salad-stuffed-portobello-mushrooms-with-apples-and-pecans/

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