Savory Spinach and Mushroom Quinoa Recipe

This is a delicious dish to whip up for any meal – top with eggs for breakfast, include roasted salmon or your additional protein of choice for lunch or dinner, or enjoy it simply as a vegan dish. Quinoa is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own, packing in about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in each cooked cup. 

Mushrooms have immune-boosting properties and even some antimicrobial effects. They are full of fiber, protein, and nutrients like selenium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, riboflavin, folate, and niacin. Last, but not least, they are also a source of vitamin D.

This recipe is rich in methyl-donor vitamins and minerals, as well as methylation adaptogens. Why are we so in love with supporting healthy methylation through diet (and lifestyle)? Methylation is a fundamental process happening in each of our cells ALL of the time. Poor methylation is connected with many health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, depression, birth defects, and more. This recipe features specific nutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of methylation activity in the body.

Servings: 4 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound Mushrooms(white or baby bella), sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5 whole green onions chopped
• 8 ounces fresh spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 2 cups cooked quinoa(about 1 cup of uncooked quinoa)
• ¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Instructions: 

1. Cook 2 cups quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté about 5 minutes until golden brown.
3. Add chopped green onions and mix.
4. Add fresh spinach, reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and let cook for about 1 minute just until spinach begins to wilt.
5. Add 2 cups of cooked quinoa and cook on low heat for another minute until spinach wilts and quinoa warms through.
6. Add cherry tomatoes.
7. Season with a dash of salt and drizzle of 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
8. Top with toasted pumpkin seeds.

Recipe by Kara Fitzgerald, ND