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Mushroom and Stilton Quinoa Risotto
I’m always looking for healthy alternatives to my comfort food favorites, so when I came across this recipe for Mushroom and Stilton Quinoa Risotto from The Art of Eating Well, I had to try it. I’ve been enjoying several recipes from this book recently and totally adore the clean cooking philosophy of the book’s authors, Jasmine and Melissa Hemsley. This recipe uses quinoa as the base for the risotto and does not contain any rice. Using quinoa not only makes it more nutritious and protein-packed, but it also has the added bonus of being easier and quicker to make. I found some beautiful chanterelle and chestnut mushrooms from my local farmer’s market that worked perfectly for the dish, in addition to some some strong, high-quality stilton cheese. The cheese added loads of creaminess and flavor, while still keeping the overall dish light and fresh. I can’t wait to experiment with other types of quinoa risottos, the possibilities are endless!
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Gwyneth’s Bummer Bars
I recently picked up Gwyneth Paltrow’s book, It’s All Good, and, in short — I’m obsessed. I have tried 6+ recipes within the last few days and all have been fantastic. Having said that, I do not think I’ve ever seen so many different opinions on a mere cookbook – some people love it, some despise it and want to blog about it constantly. I really like her style of cooking. She advocates clean eating and tries to cook with healthy, natural ingredients including lots of fruits, vegetables, natural sweeteners and “good for you” grains. It’s a concept I could get very used to and, with recipes like these, I think anyone would enjoy them regardless of the obvious health benefits.
Yesterday I decided to make Gwyneth’s “Bummer Bars,” which are a healthy form of a granola bar made instead with quinoa flakes, ground flaxseeds, prunes, walnuts, maple syrup, olive oil and plenty of warm spices.
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Cheesy Quinoa & Mushroom Burgers
These Cheesy Quinoa & Mushroom Burgers have become a go-to meal for me. In fact, I have made them at least 4 times in the past month. They are so hearty and satisfying and with a little prep, make for a healthy, casual meal. Quinoa is known as a “superfood” in the health world because it is one of the few grains that is a complete protein, unlike wheat or rice. Quinoa also packs in significant amounts of dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium and iron.
I like the fact that these veggie burgers feature quinoa, rather than just starchy beans like most veggie burgers usually do. The burgers are made with onion, mushrooms, cheese, pecans, an egg and a dash of soy sauce and sprinkling of herbs. The result is
