Pre-cook quinoaby adding 1 cup of washed quinoa to 1 1/4 cup salted water or vegetable broth. Heat until boiling, then cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit for another 20 minutes. (This will yield 2 cups cooked quinoa).
Slice mushroomsand wash and chop kale into small pieces.
Saute mushrooms in 2 tbsp of olive oil for about 3 minutes over medium heat.
Wash and chop kale into small pieces. Rub the chopped kale with your hands until it becomes bright green and shiny.
Toss in the kale and stir fry with the mushrooms for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the pre-cooked quinoaor a bag of frozen quinoa. (If using frozen quinoa and kale, omit the steps of cooking the quinoa and preparing the kale).
Fry for another 5 minutes until the quinoa is fairly dry and slightly crispy. Salt to taste.
Garnish with green onions and serve either hot or cold.
Notes
Make sure to use quinoa that is light and fluffy.
Some recipes call for a 1:2 ratio of quinoa to water when cooking. This will make quinoa that is very wet. This may be good in other recipes, but not when frying.
Some frozen quinoa gets very wet when thawed. You can thaw it first and then squeeze out the water.
Variations:
Saute vegan chicken strips along with the mushrooms and kale for a more filling meal.
Toss in some vegan pesto and cherry tomatoes towards the end of cooking for a burst of flavor.
Add crispy tofu on top for a delicious protein-packed meal.
Top with green onions and/or toasted pine nuts for extra flavor.