Here is a vegetarian option for Thanksgiving!
Kale and quinoa stuffed portobello mushrooms are far better than tofurky…trust me.
I don’t know, maybe I didn’t cook it right, but the first and only time I had tofurky I questioned why I was a vegetarian! It tasted like a dirty eraser off the top of a pencil. I guess I always felt left out at Thanksgiving…the only one at the table who didn’t need a knife and had a plate full of pureed food, like a baby. Now I can have a knife at my place setting, thank you very much!
To make this dish vegan, simply omit the egg and cheese. The quinoa and kale mixture won’t have a binding, but I think it would still taste great! Try adding some chopped walnuts for protein!
- 4 large portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil + more for brushing
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bunch of kale, de-stemmed and chopped (or 10 ounce bag baby spinach)
- 1.5 cups cooked quinoa
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese + ¼ cup for topping
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Brush both sides of mushroom caps with olive oil and place on a baking sheet, gill side up.
- Bake until mushrooms are tender, around 12-15 minutes. Drain off any excess juice and set aside.
- Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add kale and sauté until wilted. Remove from heat.
- In a large bowl, add sautéed kale, cooked quinoa, egg, cheese, dried cranberries and salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Divide mixture evenly and stuff into mushroom caps. Top with remaining shredded cheese, ~1 TB cheese per mushroom cap.
- Place back in oven and cook until cheese is melted and slightly golden, around 15-20 minutes.
- Enjoy warm!
Wishing everyone a happy & healthy holiday!