Kitchen > Office

While I support the bigger picture of what I get paid to do every day, the minutiae of those days can sometimes be completely uninspiring. (Isn't this the case with so many of us? Can you imagine how much more dynamic the world could be if we were all doing something we truly loved?) Anyway... I'm lucky enough to have the sort of job that allows me to work from home occasionally. In between meetings, I can just as easily write and edit from home, and I tend to be much happier there. I went home today around lunch time - sick of the office, annoyed with everyone, in need of some inspiration - and I set about finding some. With a stack of papers to edit on the counter and an FDR documentary filling the background, I set out to make a lunch using the random ingredients abandoned in our unstocked fridge. No two odds and ends of produce really went together, save for mushrooms and scallions. Hmm. I tinkered and fiddled and came up with this little dish, big on flavor and packed with nutrition. I probably won't make it the same way again, but that's the beauty of these little creations - they suit the moment. And after this small bowl of success, I was ready to get back to work. Sans extreme annoyance.

This is not a pretty quinoa dish, but I promise it tastes a lot better than it looks.

Green Curry Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa (I have both red and traditional quinoa on hand; today I used red), rinsed
• 1/2 container mushrooms (with better mushrooms, this would've been better, but Central Market 'free with purchase of spinach' buttons were all I had), chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 bunch scallions, diced
• 1 tablespoon green curry paste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper
•  1.5 cups chicken broth

Once the oil is hot, sauté the scallions with a pinch of salt. A minute or so later, add the mushrooms and another pinch of salt and pepper. Once the mushrooms are soft, add the green curry paste and mix it into the vegetables, cooking together for another minute. Add the rinsed quinoa and chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and softly simmer until the liquid has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Once the quinoa is ready, turn off the heat and the dish sit for five minutes or so.

This would be yummy topped with a dollop of soft goat cheese, if you have it. (Alas, I didn't.)

PS: If you're looking for more quinoa inspiration, you've got to try my all-time favorite quinoa dish (use standard, not red): Lemon Quinoa With Asparagus and Feta.