If you are plant based, or simply like a little more protein content in your carbs, then this is the dish for you. Quinoa is a complete plant protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids, boosting its quality as a protein source and allowing it to carry out all the functions that proteins provide the body.

For that creamy consistency, I use coconut cream. It works a treat! and for that ever so slightly cheesy taste I used nutritional yeast. If you haven’t tried this before and you are dairy/lactose free, this is a game-changer.

This recipe uses dried porcini mushrooms for a more intense flavour; however, you can omit these for any mushrooms you like, simply add them to the quinoa approx. 10 minutes before it’s finished cooking. Or you could fry mushrooms in butter and top your quinoa dish with quite simply the best tasting topping possible!

Ingredients (serves 3):

• 150g Quinoa
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Juice of half a lemon
• A large handful of dried porcini mushrooms, soaked for 30 minutes and rinsed
• 1 flat tbsp Nutritional Yeast
• 100g Coconut cream
• 2 tsbp fresh lemon thyme
• 530g Vegetable stock

To garnish: A generous sprinkling of fresh lemon thyme (regular thyme is also delicious!).

Top with your choice of protein, mine for this dish was salmon.

Method:

Add the quinoa, lemon thyme, garlic and veggie stock to the pan on medium heat. Add coconut cream and combine. Add nutritional yeast and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add mushrooms and continue to simmer until the quinoa absorbs all the liquid, and contains that creamy thick risotto-like texture. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

I’ve added salmon as my protein of choice because it contains skin, eye and brain boosting EPA & DHA and it’s just tasty! Salmon, or any fatty fish, really complements the risotto and lends to it’s creaminess. Honestly, you’ll really want to give this recipe a go!

Let me know how you get on with it! x