Garlic Mushroom Quinoa with Spinach

          Today we had our first snowfall. Even though every weather report the day before warned of the possibility and cautioned drivers for their morning travel we still never fail to rub our eyes hoping that it did not really happen. But it did. A sign of things to come and a reminder of all the yard maintenance I still have to do before the true winter season arrives.
          This week we were busy with Halloween preparations and subsequent tear downs. It was my first year where I was not home to hand out candy. I have class Wednesday evenings this semester so my husband and son were in charge. Admittedly it felt strange but nice to be able to deviate from tradition. It reminded me of why I began sharing this everyone - my necessity to move away from the comfortable norms and try something new for the sake of my daughter's new dietary needs.
          Quinoa was admittedly one of those strange things. The name itself was enough to postpone trying until we were all sick and tired of rice and potatoes. Now it has become a staple in my cupboards and part of the regular rotation of meals. I decided that to introduce quinoa as a new dish I had to make its initial appearance with other foods and flavours that we love - and it worked! At first I found it similar to couscous but with a heartier texture. Best of all I found that my system was able to digest it much easier and thus removing that "heavy" feeling after dinner. What a plus!
          Next week I will share with you my other absolute favourite quinoa recipe that is meant to be served cold but I love it warm. Again, lots of favourite flavours were already in the recipe so it was an instant hit at the table. Enjoy!

Garlic Mushroom Quinoa with Spinach

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, diced 

salt and fresh ground pepper 

2 cloves garlic, chopped or grated 

1 cup mushrooms, sliced (cremini or button) 

1/2 cup white wine (or reduced sodium chicken stock) 

2 cups baby spinach, stems removed 

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese 

2 cups water 

1 cup quinoa 

1. Set a large skillet to warm on medium low heat. In another pot, bring water to boil and add quinoa. Stir, cover and set to simmer for 20 minutes. Hint: set a timer to remind yourself to remove quinoa from heat when ready and it can stand until all the other items are ready.

2. Add olive oil and onions to skillet and simmer gently until translucent. The longer the onions take the sweeter its flavour. Add salt and pepper to taste (I like a lot of fresh ground pepper).

3. Add grated garlic to skillet and stir until aromatic. Add mushrooms and stir until they have released their liquid. Add wine or stock and simmer until liquid is slightly reduced.

4. Add spinach and stir into mushroom mixture until wilted. Add cheese and quinoa and mix well. As an option, you can leave out the cheese and serve it as an optional topping at the table. This side is a great compliment to chicken or pork.