Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
6 mushrooms, diced
1 red pepper, diced
2 cups of cooked quinoa

Directions:
Heat up a frying pan with olive oil. Saute onions until tender. Add the mushrooms and pepper and cook until soft. Combine cooked quinoa and vegetables and season with salt and pepper.

~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar

This is a great recipe for Meatless Monday! I also included it in the Passover section since many people eat Quinoa on the holiday. Please note, that not everyone eats Quinoa on Passover and you should consult your Rabbi before deciding what your customs will be for the holiday.

Ingredients for Meatballs:
1 small onion diced
3 cloves of garlc diced
1 8ox package of mushrooms diced
Salt and pepper for seasoning
2 cups of cooked quinoa
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil
Egg wash (1 egg + 1 tablespoon water mixed together. If you want to keep this recipe vegan, you can use PAM or egg substitute instead)

Ingredients for Sauce
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 6 oz.can of tomato paste
2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions:
Cut the spaghetti squash down the middle, lengthwise. Remove the seeds and bake face down on a lightly greased baking sheet for 40 minutes until very soft. Allow to cool off then shred the insides with a fork. Set aside.

Saute onions and garlic in a large frying pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Cook until slightly browned. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook until mushrooms are soft and tender. Remove from heat and combine with cooked quinoa. Add 1 can of tomato paste and basil and mix well. Using wet hands, Roll into small balls and place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper that has been lightly greased. Wet with egg wash then place in oven on 400′ for 20-25 minutes until firm.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce by sauteing onions until golden then adding the zucchini, carrots, red pepper and cook until slightly tender and fragrant. Add 1 can of tomato paste, and the crushed tomatoes. Add the sugar and mix well. Season with salt, pepper, paprika. Cook for about 30 minutes or longer, until veggies are soft.

Serve the quinoa meatballs over the cooked spaghetti squash with meatball sauce.

~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar

I am going through a quinoa craze. I love the stuff! It’s satisfying, and goes with just about everything. These mushrooms are stuffed with a savory tomato quinoa mixture that almost tastes like meatballs. That’s how Zach of The Yiddish Players Club described them! (which of course got me thinking of the next dish I MUST whip up, Quinoa Meatballs!)

*Tips/Tricks:
I had a lot of leftover quinoa mixture, so I decided to stuff boneless, skinless chicken breast with it and it came out GREAT! You could also stuff a baked potato with it,buy two containers of 8 oz. mushrooms so there are more mushrooms to stuff, or eat it plain.

Ingredients:
1 cup of quinoa, uncooked
2 cups of vegetable broth, chicken broth or water
1 onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 8oz. container of mushrooms ( I got mushroom stuffers, but button mushrooms or any other would work)
1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley (you can swap for basil or cilantro if you like the taste of those better)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup of bread crumbs plus more for topping
1 8oz. can of tomato sauce

Directions:
1. Wash and clean mushrooms with a paper towel.
2. Chop off mushroom stems and set aside.
3. Place mushroom caps in a baking pan.
4. Place quinoa and broth in a pot, bring to a boil then lower flame and simmer until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with fork, then set aside.
5. In a large frying pan, saute the diced onion and 4 garlic cloves until tender. Add the can of diced tomatoes, chopped mushroom stems, chopped parsley and salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
6. Remove from pan and put tomato mixture in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, mix well. Add the cooked quinoa. Mix well.
7. Scoop quinoa mixture into the mushroom caps.
8. Drizzle tomato sauce on top of stuffed mushrooms, sprinkle bread crumbs on top.
9. Bake in oven on 400′ for 20-25 minutes until top is crispy and mushrooms are tender.

~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar

Who says eating vegan has to be boring? This creamy dish is full of flavor and will please even a meat lover’s belly. Serve it over quinoa with a crisp garden salad some crusty garlic bread.

Ingredients:
2 cups of quinoa, uncooked
4 cups of water
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 head of cauliflower, washed, rinsed and broken into pieces
1 can of chickpeas
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. turmeric
1 can of crushed tomatoes (I used 6oz)
I can of coconut milk
1 cup of cashew

Directions:
Combine quinoa and water in pot. Bring to boil then cover and simmer on low flame until water is absorbed then remove from flame and fluff. While the quinoa is cooking, heat up olive oil in large pan. Add onions and saute until tender. Add cauliflower to pan and cook several minutes until slightly toasty. Add the chic peas and season with spices. Add the crushed tomatoes and mix well. Add the coconut milk and combine well. Simmer on low flame for 10 minutes. Serve over quinoa. Add cashews before serving.

~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar

These boats are filled with a mixture of quinoa, onion, garlic, zucchini, chic peas and tomatoes. It’s an easy dish that is both flavorful and filling. If you want to keep it dairy free, just skip the shredded cheese as a topping. If you like things cheesy like I do, then you can even add some crumbled feta to the mixture before placing it in the boats!

Ingredients:
1 cup of uncooked quinoa
2 cups of water
2 large zucchinis
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, diced
1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of chic peas

Directions:
Place water and quinoa in pot, heat to a boil then cover and simmer until water is absorbed. Meanwhile, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the inside flesh. Saute onion for several minutes. Once golden add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Then add the zucchini flesh that was scooped out earlier. Allow to cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the can of tomatoes and saute for several more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Combine the cooked quinoa, the tomato mixture and the chic peas in a large bowl. Fill the zucchini boats with the mixture, top with shredded cheese and bake on 400′ for 20-25 minutes.

* If you have any of the tomato mixture leftover, it tastes great served as a warm salad!

~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar

If you like pizza, but not the heavy feeling that usually comes with eating carbs, you will LOVE this dish! It’s a quick and delicious way to indulge in everyones favorite meal without the guilt or calories.

Ingredients:
1 large zucchini
1 cup of Pizza Sauce (my fav is Don Pepino)
1 cup of shredded cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil or spray olive oil such as PAM

Optional toppings:
Roasted cherry tomatoes
Feta cheese

Directions:
Wash the zucchini and dry clean. Slice 1/4 inch thick rounds. Brush both sides with olive oil or spray with PAM Olive Oil. Place on a baking tray and broil for about 10 minutes. Then add about a tablespoon of pizza sauce to each round, sprinkle some cheese on top and bake for an additional 10 minutes until slightly crispy and browned.

* For additional toppings, place pizza sauce, then roasted cherry tomatoes and crumble feta on top then bake for an additional 10 minutes until slightly crispy and browned. To roast the cherry tomatoes: Slice the cherry tomatoes in half lengthwise, place on baking tray then drizzle some olive oil and honey on top. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven 400′ and cook for 20 – 25 minutes until slightly browned.

~ Recipe submitted by Nina Safar

Ingredients:
1 bag of purple cabbage
2 tablespoons mayo
2 tsp. sugar
juice of 1 lime

Directions:
Combine ingredients in a large bowl, mix well.

~ recipe submitted by Nina Safar

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon peeled fresh ginger, minced
1 package of extra firm tofu

Directions:
Remove tofu from package and pat dry with paper towels to remove moisture. Then, cut into triangles and grill the tofu on a grill pan over medium heat. (do not heat with oil!) Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients on stovetop and stir until thickens. Once the tofu has been cooked, serve over steamed string beans and drizzle the sauce on top.

Ingredients:

Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Curry Powder
1/4 cup of olive oil

Directions:

Combine the olive oil with the spices in a bowl. Place the Chicken into the marinade and coat it well. Then cook it on a grill pan until cooked through and no longer pink.

~ Recipe submitted by Tova Berger