VeganMoFo: "Q" is for Quinoa, Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

The "V" Word continues its celebration of VeganMoFo, a month of Vegan food, with the other 25 letters of the alphabet. "Q" is for Quinoa, Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes.

It's probably no surprise that quinoa is my "Q" word. Thank goodness for this delicious, healthy superfood! I love quinoa so much. It's easy to make, it's gluten-free and it's so yummy. It's a wonderful substitute for rice, it makes a hearty and nutritious breakfast cereal and it's fun to say :)

This dish is super-healthy and figure-friendly. Ripe, juicy, sweet tomatoes are stuffed with earthy, sauteed mushrooms, vitamin-packed spinach and delicate, lacey quinoa. I add in ground flaxseed to give it an additional healthy kick of omega-3s.

For a bit of indulgence, I sometimes top the stuffed tomatoes with toasted bread crumbs.

With Breadcrumbs

Other times I leave them off. Oil can be subbed with cooking spray to cut even more calories.

Without Breadcrumbs

Using tomatoes as an edible serving vessel makes for a pretty and impressive dish. When they are baked, they are soft and juicy. As your fork breaks through the tomato, its juices flow into the stuffing and you get the most mouthwatering bite of deliciousness. Healthy never tasted so good!

Quinoa, Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients

6 large ripe tomatoes
1 Tbs. safflower oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 oz. mushrooms, finely chopped
2 Tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. Herbs de Provence
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 Tbs. ground flaxseed (optional)
2 Tbs. Vegan grated parmesan or nutritional yeast
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the tops off the tomatoes. Remove the pulp and the seeds. Chop the pulp, put it in a bowl and set aside. Set the hollowed out tomatoes aside.

Heat the safflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and the mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the parsley, thyme, Herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to the mixture. Stir well. Add the spinach to the skillet, separating it with your fingers. Mix the spinach into the mushroom mixture. Add the tomato pulp into the skillet and mix well.

Add the flaxseed, if using, and the grated parmesan or nutritional yeast to the mixture. Add the quinoa and mix it all together well. Cook for about 5 minutes to heat everything through. Then let it cool for a few minutes.

Stuff the quinoa, mushroom and spinach mixture into the hollowed out tomatoes. Pack the stuffing in well. Spray the baking dish with cooking spray or lightly oil it. Place the stuffed tomatoes into the baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 1 Tbs. of olive oil. With a fork, top the tomatoes with some of the bread crumb mixture.

Bake covered with a sheet of foil for about 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are softened and the stuffing is hot. Remove the cover and bake another 10 minutes so the bread crumbs get browned. Serve while hot. Enjoy!

"Q" is for Quinoa, Mushroom and Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes. For another "Q" word, check out my Quick Quesadillas.

The "V" Word: Say it. Eat it. Live it.