Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms

This mexican inspired dish is packed with fibre, B vitamins and vitamin D.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• ½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed

For the mushrooms:

• 6 to 8 portabello mushrooms, stems removed and gills scraped
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

For the sauce:

• 1 large avocado, pitted and roughly sliced
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
• Juice of one medium lime
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then set an oven-safe cooling rack inside the baking sheet. Mist with nonstick or olive oil spray. Set aside.
2. Add the quinoa and broth to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Give it a stir, cover, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 15 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the pan sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the olive oil. When hot, add in the onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add in the pepper, corn, cumin, paprika, salt and cayenne. Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, until the veggies are tender but still a touch crisp. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cooked quinoa and the black beans. Taste and season with additional salt/cayenne as needed.
4. Once you get the quinoa and veggies going, set the mushrooms on the prepared baking sheet (gill side up). Drizzle lightly with olive oil, then bake for about 13 to 15 minutes, until just tender. Remove from the oven, maintaining the oven temperature. Use a paper towel to blot any excess moisture that has accumulated in the caps.
5. Scoop a heaping mound of the filling into each of the mushrooms, then sprinkle each with some of the cheese. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is nice and melted.
6. Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth. Add in a little water to get it to your desired consistency. Spoon the sauce over the stuffed mushrooms and serve!

Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms