Amelia Freer (FdSc, Dip ION) is one of the UK’s leading Nutritional Therapists and healthy eating experts. She is also an internationally best selling author with her fourth book, Simply Good For You, recently released.

Here we publish the recipe for her Garlic mushroom quinoa risotto from her new book. A family favourite and perfect for vegetarians.

 

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Garlic Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

{Serves 2}

Much faster to cook than rice-based risotto. If you are strapped for time, use pre-cooked quinoa from a packet, but reduce the amount of stock you use – just a splash is all you’ll need to prevent the mixture from tasting dry.

INGREDIENTS

• 25g dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• ½ a punnet (approx. 175g) of chestnut mushrooms, diced (or wild mushrooms If you can get them)
• 150g quinoa, dried (or a 250g pouch of pre-cooked quinoa)
• 2 handfuls of baby leaf spinach
• 2 tablespoons coconut yoghurt/natural yoghurt
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Soak the porcini mushrooms in 700ml of boiling water.

In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Drain the porcini mushrooms, retaining the soaking liquid, and add the rehydrated mushrooms to the pan together with the garlic and the fresh mushrooms.

Cook for a further 5 minutes.

Add the quinoa, and stir well. Pour over enough of the mushroom soaking liquid to just cover the quinoa. Bring to a gentle simmer.

(If using pre-cooked quinoa, add 250ml of the mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a simmer, add the spinach and wilt for a minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt.)

Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked through, but still has some bite. You might need to add some more of the mushroom ‘stock’ if it is starting to look dry.

Right at the end of cooking, stir in the spinach and finally the yoghurt. Adjust the seasoning to taste before serving.

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Simply Good For You by Amelia Freer is out now (Michael Joseph, £22)

 

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY (C) SUSAN BELL

 

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Amelia fervently believes that we can all achieve improved health and well-being by electing to eat the right foods. A well nourished body is stronger and more resilient and better able to face the challenges of modern day life and it need not be complicated. Keeping it simple is key. Good nutrition is, first and foremost, a celebration of food.