Quinoa with Sweet Potato, Kale, Onion and Mushrooms

Quinoa is a favorite of ours. It's versatile, quick and easy to make and is a great source of protein. I think it's a lighter grain therefore I enjoy it with usually a heavier sauce, such as sausage and marinara or sweet potatoes and veggies!


While this is not necessarily a difficult recipe to make, I will admit preparing it (specifically the kale) can take some time. We recently prepared this dish on a day we were both home early from work. However, it does only require quinoa, mushrooms, kale, sweet potatoes and onions (as well as your favorite spices). For us, it was garlic and red pepper with a few dashes of salt and pepper.

Ingredients:
- One medium to large sweet potato
- One small yellow onion
- One large bunch of kale, washed and cut with stems removed
- 4-6 chopped mushrooms
- 1/2 cup white wine (preferably dry)
- Seasonings: garlic, red pepper, salt and pepper
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked

Recipe:
We started with cooking the one cup of quinoa, since it takes about 20 minutes to prepare. Nothing special here, just followed the directions on the package.

Next, heat a large saucepan with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil on medium heat. Start with sauteeing the onion and sweet potato once the oil is warm. Allow the sweet potatoes to begin to soften, add the chopped mushrooms, stirring occasionally. Once the mushrooms begin to soften, add the chopped kale and white wine. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and stir frequently. I also added more garlic and red pepper flakes at this time.

Keep the saucepan on medium-low heat until all vegetables have softened. Most liquid will be absorbed at this point. Don't forget to check back on your quinoa! I've never experienced burnt quinoa but I imagine it probably doesn't taste too good. The quinoa will most likely be done before the kale and sweet potatoes. I usually put the quinoa in a bowl and cover with a towel or foil until the meal is complete. Add some of the sautee to a bowl of quinoa, top with parmesan if desired and enjoy!

We've made this recipe a few times and enjoy it every time. I've had a glass of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir with it at different occasions and while both went well, I prefer the Pinot Noir with it.