What you’ll need...
Ta-Daaa! And so delicious...
I love risotto. All flavors, forms, and incarnations. But it doesn’t love me. Wait, strike that. It DOES love me…so much that it refuses to leave after being invited in. Since a risotto indulgence means extra time working out, I have it only occasionally. If you’re under the age of 30 or have a naturally robust metabolism, you can ignore this recipe. But you may not want to, because it’s delicious. And more nutrient-dense and higher in protein and fiber than rice.
Chef Bill and I discovered this at, of all places, a sushi bar in Miami (go figure) while on vacation. We fell in love with it and he replicated it not long after we returned home to the North Country. It has become one of our favorite side dishes. Sometimes we’ll make a double batch so we can have it on hand for a quick meal. If you reheat this, make sure it’s baked in a casserole dish, covered, with a bit of water or stock.
Oh yes, and another bonus: this is much quicker to make than the half-hour minimum homemade risotto takes. Here’s to your palate and your health!
Quisotto
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked white or red quinoa (white has a milder taste)
1 pound of sliced mushrooms (depending on your mushroom-density preference)
1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3-4 tablespoons Peccorino Romano cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
In a large frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until just-browned and aromatic, about 15 minutes. Toss in cooked quinoa and mix thoroughly. Add stock and cook for 5 minutes. Lower heat and add cheese, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly and serve immediately. Note: if you like a more moist texture, add more butter and/or stock.
Stacey Morris is a journalist who has kept 180 pounds off for more than 7 years. She is also a health coach, certified DDPYOGA Instructor, motivational speaker, and cookbook author. For more information on her, visit www.StaceyMorris.com .