Quinoa stir fry

Have I mentioned how much I love quinoa?  Well here's another recipe I whipped up with some.  I normally do all of this with rice and quinoa is a great subsitute.  Stir frys are a great way to get rid of any veggies you have in the fridge that are nearing the end of their lives. For this, I used mushrooms, onion, garlic, and shredded carrots.  I love to add a couple of scrambled eggs, too!  It makes me feel like I'm having hibachi fried rice.

I cooked the mushrooms, onion, and carrots in seasoned olive oil first.  A lot of people like to cook the garlic first, but garlic burns too easily and I hate nothing more than burnt garlic!  I season the olive oil instead of adding the seasonings later, so that the vegetables cook in them.  The ginger gives the stir fry a great Asian flavor.

In a small skillet, I use about a teaspoon of butter to make the scrambled eggs.  I throw the minced garlic in first, and then add the eggs.  Once the eggs are cooked, I add them to the rest of the veggies.

When the quinoa is cooked, I add it to the skillet with the veggies and eggs.  Here is where I stir in the soy sauce.  Just stir until it's mixed well and the soy sauce is absorbed.  And there ya go!  Very easy stir fry!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dry quinoa
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 3 baby carrots, julienned
• 1 white button mushroom, sliced thin
• 2T chopped white onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3T olive oil
• 3T light soy sauce
• 1/2t each- ground ginger, cayenne pepper, black pepper
• 1t butter

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa and cook per package instructions.
2. Heat olive oil, ginger, cayenne, and black pepper in a large skillet.  Add onion, mushroom, and carrots, stirring occasionally.
3. While the veggies are cooking, melt 1 teaspoon of butter in small skillet.  Saute garlic and eggs.
4. When eggs sufficiently scrambled (to your liking), add to the large skillet.  Stir together and continue to cook on medium-low.
5. When the quinoa is cooked, scoop into large skillet.  Add soy sauce and stir all ingredients together.
6. Serve hot.

Tips:  This is great as a side dish or you can add a lean meat to make it a main course. 

Quinoa Breakfast Bake

This is an adaptation from Edible Perspective.  Same concept, different "extras".  You can use whatever veggies you like and even change things up with some sausage!  Although, I do recommend turkey sausage!
This quinoa bake came out so well. I was incredibly impressed with how great it tasted.  I was also really glad I made two small dishes, so I can have it for breakfast tomorrow, too!


Ingredients:

After Baking

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 small white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup shredded gouda, plus some to sprinkle on top
• 2T crumbled turkey bacon

Directions:

Adding cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Saute pepper, onion, mushrooms.
3. Whisk eggs in medium bowl.  Add quinoa and mix well.
4. Stir in sauteed vegetables, gouda, and bacon.
5. Pour mixture into 2, 3" (round) baking dishes and back 20-23 minutes.
6. Remove quinoa bake from oven, sprinkle with remaining cheese.
7. Turn broiler on and broil for 1-2 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.

Bubbling from the broiler!