I found myself in what has become a common situation, peering into my pantry to discover how many more meals I could eke out of the remaining ingredients.
With delivery not a viable option in my area, and the thought of another scavenger hunt in the supermarket filling me with dread, I honed my skills of making do. Thrilled to locate a full container of quinoa that had been pushed to that back of the shelves, a pilaf experiment was soon underway. Keep in mind, this pilaf can tolerate a wide range of variations, so play around with what you have on hand.
I hope you love the results as much as we did.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch red Swiss chard, about 1 pound, stems chopped and leaves rolled together and finely sliced
- 2 -12 ounces small cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, halved
- Olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup quinoa
- 2 cups prepared vegetable broth, or water and 2 veggie bouillon cubes
- A handful of fresh or dried finely chopped herbs (parsley, chives, oregano, etc.)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Toasted slivered or chopped almonds
Directions
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 3-quart saucepan on medium. Add onion, and chard stems. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in quinoa to toast lightly (stir frequently).
- Cover with broth, stir, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, cover and reduce heat.
- After 15 minutes, remove lid, add chard leaves and cover again. Continue cooking another five minutes until the liquid has absorbed. Keep the lid on and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat remaining oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Fluff quinoa with a fork. Fold in mushrooms, herbs and chopped nuts, seasoning to taste.
Enjoy!