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Creamy Mushroom and Broccoli Quinoa with Watercress and Tomato Salad

Quinoa simmered with mushrooms and broccoli and finished with soft cheese and vegetarian hard cheese like a risotto, served with a watercress and tomato salad. A vegetarian dinner with 23g of protein, ready in 40 minutes.

Dinner

40

Serves 2

A white plate of creamy tricolour quinoa with sliced mushrooms and broccoli florets, next to a pile of watercress topped with halved cherry tomatoes

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (20ml) olive oil: 1 tbsp for the quinoa, 1 tsp for the salad
  • 1 small onion (about 80g/3oz), finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic (about 8g), crushed
  • 250g/9oz chestnut mushrooms (cremini mushrooms), sliced
  • 120g/4oz/⅔ cup quinoa (white or tricolour), rinsed
  • 400ml/1⅔ cups hot vegetable stock (check the label if you need it gluten-free), plus a little water if needed
  • 150g/5oz broccoli, cut into small florets
  • 60g/2oz light soft cheese (cream cheese)
  • 20g/¾oz vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, finely grated
  • Half a tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp lemon juice, a pinch of salt and black pepper
  • 60g/2oz watercress and 100g/3½oz cherry tomatoes, halved

Method

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, deep frying pan (skillet) or wide pan with a lid, about 26cm/10in, over a medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, until soft. Turn the heat up, add the mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until golden and any liquid has gone. Add the garlic and thyme for 1 minute.
  2. Stir in the quinoa and the hot stock, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the broccoli, cover again and cook for 5 minutes more, until the quinoa is tender, most of the liquid is absorbed and the broccoli is just tender. If it looks dry, add a splash of water.
  4. Take off the heat and stir in the soft cheese, most of the grated cheese and the lemon juice until creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Toss the watercress and tomatoes with the remaining teaspoon of oil. Serve the quinoa with the salad and the rest of the grated cheese. Leftover quinoa keeps in the fridge for up to 2 days; reheat with a splash of water until steaming hot. Not suitable for freezing.

Why it works

A plate gives you about 23g of protein and 9g of fibre for 496 calories, from the quinoa, cheese, mushrooms and broccoli.

Like a risotto, but quicker. Quinoa simmered in stock turns soft and creamy when you stir in cheese at the end, much like risotto rice, but it cooks in 15 minutes and needs no constant stirring.

Why quinoa. Quinoa is a naturally gluten-free seed with more protein than rice and most other grains, and it contains all nine essential amino acids in useful amounts.

Why it is tagged for blood sugar. With 49g of carbohydrate, plenty of protein and fibre from the quinoa and broccoli, this meal is less likely to cause a sharp rise in blood sugar than a risotto made with white rice.

Contains milk; check the stock for celery. Choose quinoa labelled gluten-free if you need it, as it can be processed alongside wheat. Traditional Parmesan is made with animal rennet, so use a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese. For a classic risotto, try the mushroom and barley risotto.