Keen-wah!

   There are two types of people in the word... actually there are many more types, but for the purpose of this post let's just all agree that there are people who either love quinoa, or people who don't understand what the big deal is all about! Our family happens to love it, even little Christopher enjoys a little side of quinoa (as long as it's accompanied by some meat)! I like the texture, I like the taste and I like how healthy and guilt-free it is! I use it often as a substitute for rice or couscous and it's always good! This time  I loaded it with zucchini and mushrooms, so I kind of killed two birds with one stone here - starch and veggies in one dish! Couldn't be easier!

Ingredients:

* 1.5 cup quinoa (I used the tri-colored one)
* 2 cups shredded zucchini (~2 medium)
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 8oz white mushrooms, chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 tbsp butter
* 2 tbsp fresh basil
* 1/2 tsp marjoram powder
* 1 tsp dry dill
* salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Cook quinoa in about 6 cups of salted water for 15-20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. In the meantime, in a large skillet, melt butter and saute onions with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until translucent.

3. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes. Gently squeeze shredded zucchini to remove excess water and add it the skillet.

4. Add herbs, season with salt and pepper and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often.

5. Combine with quinoa, adjust seasoning if necessary and serve as a side dish.

   Delicious! And so versatile too! It can be a side dish, a meal on its own, or even a stuffing for different veggies, or anything really! I used it as a side dish for baked chicken and it was awesome!

Enjoy,
Magda