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!

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