Quinoa Loaf with Mushrooms and Peas

The first time I made this recipe I overlooked the first step. And even though I forgot to sauté the mushrooms and just added them raw, this dish was absolutely delicious!
A few recipes on this site call for rolled oats and there’s a gray area about their gluten content. Most will say that they’re gluten free, but there could be a threat of cross contamination in processing plants, transportation and storage. For cleansing purposes, I’d say they’re safe. But if you want to be sure, try Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats.

Quinoa Loaf with Mushrooms and Peas

1 T extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 C rolled oats
2 C cooked quinoa
1 C frozen green peas
1/2 C chopped fresh parsley and/or 1 T minced fresh thyme
10 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
1 C (about 1 onion) chopped red onion

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, put beans, oats and 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, bean mixture, quinoa, peas, parsley, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan, gently pressing down and mounding it in the middle. Bake until firm and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Nutrition Per serving (about 6oz/172g-wt.): 170 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 200mg sodium, 28g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 4g sugar), 8g protein

From WholeFoods.com

Pasta with No-Cook Heirloom Tomato Sauce

This dish is like the little black dress of pastas – simple, timeless, and elegant, And because the sauce requires no cooking, it takes just a few minutes to prepare. Take advantage of the season while it’s here – stock up on Heirlooms* and mange!

Pasta with No-Cook Heirloom Tomato Sauce
1 (22-ounce) package gluten free pasta
3 small ripe heirloom tomatoes, chopped
1/2 bunch spinach (about 5 ounces), stemmed and cut into thin ribbons
1/2 C lightly packed basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons
2 T aged balsamic vinegar
2 T pine nuts, toasted

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, gently stirring once or twice, until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water1 and then drain pasta well and transfer to a large bowl. Add tomatoes, spinach, basil, vinegar and reserved pasta water and toss gently to wilt spinach. Transfer to plates, top with pine nuts and serve.

*”If heirloom tomatoes are unavailable, ask which variety is most flavorful and substitute! Serve with a green salad and you've got a meal.”

Modified from WholeFoods.com

-1/3 C of the pasta water is just an estimate – the first time I tried this recipe, it was way too much water. So slowly add just enough water to wilt the spinach. Depending on how hot the pasta is, you might not need any.

Gluten Free Pasta with White Beans and Arugula

Gluten Free Pasta with White Beans and Arugula

1 lb cremini mushrooms, stems removed, rinsed and quartered
2 C gluten-free vegetable broth, divided
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
4 sage leaves, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added white beans (1 1/2 cups), drained and rinsed
12 oz gluten-free pasta
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch arugula, washed and tough stems removed (about 4 tightly packed cups)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat a large high-sided skillet over high heat. When the pan is very hot, add mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly, until mushrooms begin to soften, shrink and release their liquid, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth to the pan, scraping the brown bits up off the bottom as the liquid sizzles. Take care to avoid the hot steam that rises when the liquid hits the pan. Reduce the liquid by about half, stirring often for 2 minutes. Add garlic, vinegar and sage and cook 1 minute longer.

Add remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. The sauce will thicken as the liquid reduces by about half and as the beans release some starches into it.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain pasta and add it to the mushrooms along with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and coat the pasta with the sauce. Stir arugula into the hot pasta just until the greens wilt slightly. Serve immediately.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 13oz/369g-wt.): 370 calories (20 from fat), 2.5g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 170mg sodium, 70g total carbohydrate (11g dietary fiber, 7g sugar), 15g protein

Adapted from Wholefoods.com

Chickpea Tacos

Easy and tasty – what could be better?

Chickpea Tacos

“Crunchy, crunchy heaven. These tacos rock the chickpea! One bite and you'll be hooked!”*

15 oz chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 T tamari
2 t lemon juice
1 recipe taco seasoning (see below)
8 whole corn taco shells

Preheat oven to 400F. Whisk tamari, juice & spices together. Add rinsed chickpeas and toss until well and evenly coated. Place chickpeas on tray, spray with oil and bake 20-25 minutes, until crunchy. Assemble tacos with chickpeas, arugula or lettuce, tomatoes and eat.

Serves 8

From HappyHerbivore.com

Taco Seasoning
1 T chili powder
2 t onion powder
1 t each - ground cumin, garlic powder, paripka, oregano
1/2 t salt

Mix ingredients together in small bowl. Makes 3 T of seasoning mix.