Recipe Test: Mushroom & Edamame Fried "Rice"

Credit:  Love & Lemons Blog

Click here for full recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• Quinoa (recipe says you can also use bulgur, couscous or whatever grain you have)
• Oil (I chose peanut)
• Garlic
• Green onions
• Shiitake mushrooms (LOVE!)
• Edamame (no shells)
• Basil or Cilantro (I had leftover Cilantro so used that)
• Eggs
• Soy Sauce
• Chile oil or Red Pepper Flakes (um ... nope!)

  

I love love love Shiitake mushrooms so was excited about this recipe.  We had a snow storm here so I'll be honest once I saw how COLD it was outside I decided a shorter trip to HyVee would be the ticket instead of a longer trip to Whole Foods.  I didn't need much and they do have a small selection of organic foods.  They didn't have fresh mushrooms but I found dried.   Not so pretty as they were re-hydrating but ooooh the smell!  Nothing smells like a shiitake mushroom.  

Much better after soaking!  I used Cilantro because I had some left over.  I've finally figured out how to keep it fresh longer thanks to searching on-line!  I found a suggestion to put it in a cup of water and then cover it with a plastic baggie & refrigerate.  It's still going strong after a week!

Good thing too because I STILL have this much left!  I know I can freeze it but it is so much better fresh.
 

This is my first time trying Quinoa ... I can't even say the damn word to be honest with you.  I was calling it Kwin-oh-ah but supposedly it is Keen-wah?  I figure I can't say it but it looked easy enough to make so why not try?  It's kind of funny looking.  (Points for you if you just thought of the movie Fargo!)  I don't know why but I expected it to be harder - more firm like rice only with a different flavor and shape. It was more the consistency of cooked oatmeal - mushy.  I had leftover snow peas from my stir fry earlier this week so I threw those in too!

Awh ... my sweet pea likes snow peas!  And it matches her fleece - how cute.   No I'm not the kind of girl that dresses her dogs in clothes - human clothes on animals is ... well ... I just don't get it.  But this old lady will be 14 this summer and she's got very little body fat left so gets really cold in the winter.  It's about zero outside and even inside she shakes so yes ... she has her own fleece.  She also has a doggie back pack she wears in the summer but that's only because she's a smart little sh*t who figured out she could fit through the fence and go for a little joy run / escape whenever she wanted.   A doggie back pack stuffed with paper towels to 'bulk' her up is a hell of a lot cheaper than a new fence!  

So since it is officially February it's time for my focus on portions!  Here's what I had tonight... 

This bowl is about the same size as a dinner plate.  I ate it soooo slowly (on purpose) ... probably too slowly because it was pretty cold by the time I was done.  I'm not stuffed, nor would I call myself 'full' but I'm not hungry - that's the point.  I'll be curious to see if I get hungry again before bedtime.  I doubt it.  I also had a small glass of real milk so I've gotten plenty of nourishment.  I know I'm not counting calories, protein, carbs, fat, etc. anymore and also trying not to think much about them but I have no doubt I got PLENTY of all tonight.  Not to mention getting my veggies!  I still can't believe that I went literally months before without eating any vegetables!

I'm still dealing with LOTS of leftovers because my hubby is on business and I have a hard time cutting down recipes at this point.  I'm always worried I'll somehow screw it up if I make less than the recipe calls for... so leftovers it is: 

I would definitely say it is good.  I like the flavor and how the mushrooms stand out.  I will definitely make it again but I don't think I'll use quinoa - the texture to me makes more sense for breakfast or for a veggie burger.  This would be perfect with brown rice or maybe I'll try whole wheat couscous.  Even so it was yummy.  These leftovers will not go to waste.   Of course I'm a little worried about the rest of my leftovers ... our tiny fridge is FULL of them right now!

(You'll see I'm trying the cilantro trick with parsley too - I'll let you know if it works!)  The freezer is getting to almost full capacity too!  I'm going to have to figure out how to start using what is in there in recipes or it is just going to keep getting more and more stuffed! 

Funny ... when we first moved into the house and realized the fridge that came with it was not standard sized (it's a fridge usually found in office break rooms) we figured no big deal ... and it hasn't been for over five years.  It basically held soda, snapple, more soda, bottled water, coffee creamer, more soda, tortillas, shredded cheese, lots of condiments we never used ... oh and more soda!  The freezer was used but it was things like frozen veggie burgers, veggie corn dogs.  Maybe some chicken breasts or other meats.  I can't tell you how many times I threw something out because it had been in there too long.  I do NOT want that to happen now with all this great real food!