Quinoa With Mushrooms

This has to be my favorite quinoa dish so far. The mushrooms really make it what it is. You can add anything you want but just make sure to include those mushrooms! :) If your not familiar with quinoa Click here for some info.

Serves 4:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups of water, or broth*
1 8 oz package of mushrooms, stems removed and sliced. (my favorite are baby bellas)
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 cob of corn, kernels removed, or 1/2-1 cup corn
3/4 tsp garlic powder or favorite seasoning mix like Mrs. Dash
S&P to taste before eating


-Easiest recipe ever! Just add everything to a rice cooker and give it a stir. You could also simmer everything in a pot on the stove until the water has been soaked up.

-Keep an eye on it towards the end in the rice cooker, sometimes mine sticks a tiny bit but comes up when stirred with a wooden spoon. (I just have a basic cooker and turn it on to "cook") I would assume you would otherwise put it on the rice setting.

* The mushrooms create moisture but if you think you need more water towards the end then add a splash or 2.

M.L.T. Sandwich (mushroom, lettuce, and tomato)

I was inspired to make this after I saw a picture of something similar, it looked good so I made my own version, it wasn't called an MLT though ;) However this was something that just hit the spot, I was craving a sandwich and this combination called to me even though I never used to like mushrooms I'm starting to think it's not the foods we don't like, sometimes it just the way it's prepared. I'm finding since going plant based I like mushrooms and maybe it's the way I'm making it, just the way I like it. Anyway this is super easy to make, filling, and it is definitely hard to eat as a whole sandwich, I had to make it an open face but you can just adjust the ingredients to your liking, I was just really hungry :)

Serves 1:

2 pieces sprouted grain bread, or bread of choice, a wrap would work too
1/2 avocado
1 tsp lemon juice
2 slices tomato
1-2 oz romaine or other leafy green
About half of 1 large portabella mushroom, more if you like, sliced in thin strips
1/4 of a medium onion, cut in strips, or desired pieces
couple dashes of lemon pepper, or other favorite seasoning
1 garlic clove, minced
S&P to taste


-Saute your sliced mushroom, garlic, and onion with small splashes of water as needed, add a few dashes of your favorite seasonings, I like lemon pepper on mine.

-Mash up your avocado, add lemon juice and S&P to taste

- Toast your bread, spread avocado mixture on each slice, add tomatoes and lettuce.

-When the mushrooms and onion become soft and limp, about 5-10 mins, then add to the rest of your sandwich and devour!

Notes:
*I'm sure other mushrooms would be delicious as well :)
*My husband really liked this as an open face on beer bread, which is also really good.
*You could also add the closed sandwich back to your pan and flatten to make it more like a panini or similar.