Quinoa Loaf

I love grilling out and dining al fresco during the summer months, but there are times when traveling and enjoying the season with friends leads to too much indulgence. We've already had a few weekends full of excessive eating and drinking, and by Sunday night I'm swearing that the upcoming week we'll only eat vegetables and drink water. This healthy dinner recipe is perfect for when you need to detox a little without sacrificing flavor.

This quinoa loaf caught my attention on the Whole Foods website a few months back, and I've enjoyed it a few times already. It is a vegan recipe, with minimal fat and tons of flavor. The loaf is satisfying without being too heavy, and works great for lunchtime leftovers. You can play around with the vegetable mix-ins, although it's really good as the original recipe is written. And it was a great excuse to use some of the fresh thyme from my tiny little patio garden!

Quinoa Loaf

from the Whole Foods website

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

3/4 cup rolled oats

2 cups cooked quinoa ( How to Cook Quinoa)

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

10 sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped

1 cup (about 1 onion) chopped red onion

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, put beans, oats and 1/2 cup water into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. In a large bowl, combine mushrooms, bean mixture, quinoa, peas, parsley, tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to prepared loaf pan, gently pressing down and mounding it in the middle. Bake until firm and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Set aside to let rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.