Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa is simple. It’s meaty cremini mushrooms which have been pan-fried in lots of garlic and butter. It’s then combined with cooked quinoa for a very healthy side or main!

GARLICKY MUSHROOM QUINOA
I have a crush on a girl. It’s true! She doesn’t know this yet, but she will if she reads this post. As you know, Dear Reader, Lord Byron’s Kitchen did not start with the intention of becoming such a large collection of recipes.
When I started this blog, it was with the sole purpose of posting recipes that were inspired by the comfort food I had grown up with. But, there was one catch – that comfort food had to be made into a vegetarian version without sacrificing texture or taste.
Much to my surprise, I fell in love with blogging, and coupled with my love of cooking and baking, Lord Byron’s Kitchen as you see it today, is a result of that very basic and humble beginning.

FOOD BLOGGERS ARE A RARE BREED
Once I began to learn the ropes – and there were so many! – one of the first things I did was to join a few Facebook groups that were full of other food bloggers. Initially, my goal was to increase my readership and to hopefully have some of those other food bloggers share some of my recipes to their social media outlets.
I have to say, food bloggers are some of the most genuine and helpful people I’ve ever known. It’s such a great community to be a part of. They are always there to offer advice, wisdom, or to lend a helping hand.
I cannot tell you how many times I have run into issues with the technical side of blogging, only to have one of my fellow food bloggers walk me through the steps to correct the issue – saving me $$ in the long run! (Kylee at Kylee Cooks has become one of my blogging heroes!)

MY GIRL CRUSH
One blogger, particularly, stood out for me. She prepares meals and dishes which I would gladly serve to my friends and family. She’s so real and authentic; she’s down to earth and non-pretentious about her food.
Her food is all about feeling comfortable in the kitchen and eating homemade foods which won’t break the bank. Her name is Amanda, and her blog is affectionately called The Chunky Chef.
This dish was actually inspired by Amanda’s Garlic and Mushroom Quinoa. I was perusing her blog, as I normally do, and came upon this particular dish.

BRING ON THE MUSHROOMS!
As you know, my new found love for mushrooms has found me searching for ways to incorporate the ingredient into our day-to-day meals. Amanda’s recipe was easy to follow, and used cremini mushrooms, which to me, are the best kind! I knew I had to make this dish!
The only difference between her dish and mine is heat. I added a small amount of dried red chili flakes just to add my own little spin, and besides, it’s very cold here in Toronto, and the heat was a welcomed addition!
Oh, and I also left out the parmesan cheese. You can totally add parmesan to your version if you prefer, but I just wasn’t feeling it for this particular recipe.
Here’s the recipe, but please be sure to visit Amanda’s blog to read her recipe as well. Just don’t tell her I sent you, or my secret foodie love affair just might be revealed! 😉



Garlicky Mushroom Quinoa
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon dried red chili flakes, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and butter. Sauté the mushrooms until very well done. (Strive for a meatier tasting mushroom by cooking for a longer period of time. Of course, you can stop cooking the mushrooms whenever you have reached the desired outcome for your personal tastes.)
- Add the garlic and dried red chili flakes – if using. Stir into the mushrooms. Allow the garlic to cook with the mushrooms for 3 minutes.
- Add the cooked quinoa, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and ground black pepper. Stir all the ingredients together until the quinoa has heated through once more.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition

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