Healthy spins on classic dishes is my jam. And this veggie-filled bowl takes on the king of Italian dishes: chicken parm. This parm inspired veggie bowl is next level with Parmesan-crusted portobello mushrooms, pesto-infused quinoa, peppery arugula and fresh tomatoes drizzled with EVOO and shreds of fresh Parmesan cheese. I may never look at chicken (or eggplant) parm the same way. Get the dEATs for this Parmesan-Crusted Mushroom Bowl below!

I’m not usually one to read into a lot of hocus pocus, but there are a few defining characteristics of Aquarians that ring true to my core – and originality is one of them. I get a little thrill when I conjure up a new recipe especially when it seems so ridiculously obvious that you wonder, why didn’t someone else think of this? I get bored pretty easily and have been rotating through the same old salads for a couple of weeks. As I was walking home from work thinking about lunch the next day (I am ALWAYS thinking about what I’m going to be eating next, anyone else? Must be some innate cave woman survival mode mentality), I passed by an Italian restaurant and a little light bulb flickered on – chicken parm! There’s got to be a way to infuse all those comforting Italian flavors into a salad. And because it would be too easy to just translate to chicken I though, what about a mushroom version? Eureeka! The Mushroom Parm Bowl was born.

Based on most of my blog content, you might be surprised that I don’t consider myself to be vegan or vegetarian, but most of my recipes are plant-based. Rather, I like to think of myself as a flexitarian (so Millennial, I know) and have been striving for more of a 80/20 ratio of veg-based to fish/meat based meals. It’s part of living a healthier, more holistic lifestyle that takes into consideration the impact of my choices on the environment and my body. And on this journey, I’ve been amazed by all the plant based options that can be so satisfying and nutrient dense! Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be a full-on convert, but in the meantime, I’m enjoying this journey of discovering new plant-based recipes and hope you are too!

If you’ve become a vegan/vegetarian convert, I’d love to hear about your journey and any of your favorite recipes or tips for maintaining a balanced diet. Feel free to comment below or shoot me an email at theshookslife@gmail.com.

I hope you enjoy this plant-based spin on traditional chicken parm!

Parmesan-Crusted Mushroom Bowl
Serves 2-3

Ingredients:
Parmesan-Crusted Mushrooms
-1 pint of portobello mushrooms, sliced
-1/2 C panko bread crumbs
-1/4 C of shredded Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling
-1/2 tsp oregano
-1/4 tsp garlic powder
-salt and pepper to taste
-1/2 to 1 C of unsweetened almond milk
-1 T of olive oil
Pesto Quinoa
-1 C of quinoa, rinsed
-2 C of vegetable broth (or water)
-2 T of basil pesto
Salad
-1 pint of grape or cherry tomatoes
-1 bag of arugula
-olive oil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees Farenheit and ready a baking sheet with a sheet of tin foil. Combine the almond milk and 1 T of olive oil in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine the panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, oregano, garlic power and a dash of salt and pepper. Mix well.
Step 2: Dip each mushroom slice in the almond milk mixture then coat both sides with the panko bread crumb mixture, shaking off any excess before placing on the foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crispy and lightly brown.
Step 3: Prep the quinoa by boiling the vegetable broth in a medium sauce pan over medium heat on the stove top. Once boiling, add the rinsed quinoa and cook covered for 15-20 minutes, or until the liquid is fully dissolved and the quinoa forms light fluffy tendrils. Add the basil pesto to the pot of quinoa and stir to combine.
Step 4: Prepare the salad bowl(s) by layering a handful or two of arugula as the base, then top with a handful of cherry tomatoes, two to three big spoonfuls of the pesto quinoa and as many of the mushrooms as you’d like. Drizzle with olive oil, a bit of salt and pepper and top with a few more shreds of Parmesan. Enjoy!

The post A Veggie Lover’s Take On Parm appeared first on The Shooks Life.

Everyone’s got their go-to recipe, song, friend. So this is clearly not a song or friend, but it IS my go-to recipe to share with my favorite people during my favorite season: summer. And I’m sharing this secret with you, internet friends, so thank me later. Read on for my Summer Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad.

It may not technically be summer, but I’ve never been one for technicalities. Spring, summer, same:same. Especially when it’s warm, the days are long and the sun is shining. The best is when the earth starts to erupt with all the greenery – herbs, flowers and all the glory of Mother Earth. My little herb garden isn’t quite in the flourishing stage, but 1.) I also left my herbs out for a week before planting them (black thumb) and 2.) it’s still early. So for now, I’ll be sourcing my herbs from my favorite farmer’s market, Green City Market.

The best recipes for group get-togethers are 1.) crowd-pleasers (duh) 2.) withstand the temps (no ice box cakes or heating required) and 3.) sing the songs of summer (let fruits & veggies reign on!). This summer tabbouleh hits all the marks. It’s loaded with fresh herbs, freshly squeezed citrus, ripe heirloom tomatoes and seedless cucumbers (modern science, thank you for solving my first world problems). I’m headed to a friend’s rooftop cookout this afternoon (rain pending!) and can’t wait to share this summer quinoa tabbouleh salad! Get the dEATs below and do me a favor, take this recipe everywhere you go this summer – even say it’s yours – I won’t tell anyone.

Summer Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Serves: 8

Ingredients:
-1 C of quinoa, rinsed*
-2 C of vegetable broth (or water)
-1/4 C of olive oil
-1/4 C of freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
-1 bunch of sliced scallions, both whites and greens
-1 pint of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
-1 hothouse cucumber, sliced crosswise into quarters
-1 bunch of mint leaves, chopped (about 1 C)**
-1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped (about 1 C, can include stems)**
-a couple handfuls of arugula
– 1-3 tsp salt, depending on your preference
– freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
Step 1: Make the quinoa by boiling the vegetable broth (or water) in a small to medium size pot over the stove top on medium heat. Once boiling, add the quinoa to the pot of broth, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the quinoa has soaked up the liquid and is light and fluffy.
Step 2: Place the cooked quinoa in a serving bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, salt and pepper; mix well.
Step 3: Fold in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate and serve!

The flavor builds as it marinades in the herbs and lemon juice, so I always think it tastes that much more flavorful a few hours later, but you can also serve it right away.

*I’ve also made this recipe with other grains, like bulghur wheat or farro.
**If you have a food processor, I highly suggest using it to chop the herbs. It’ll be done in 2 minutes vs 10!

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten.

The post Salads of summer appeared first on The Shooks Life.