Daniel Fast Recipe #10: Quinoa Mushroom-Stuffed Pita Pockets

Here's another mushroom recipe for Brandy! 

This is also a "Claire Creation" (aka my own recipe)

Special shout-out to Datrice for giving me some quinoa! 

Our dinner was splendid because of her generous donation to our kitchen. 

And now, without further ado...

Quinoa Mushroom-Stuffed Pita Pockets

Here is what you will need for the Pita Bread:

2 cups of whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1-2 cups of water (add more if dough looks too flour-y)

To make the Pita Bread:
1. Mix ingredients together until dough forms
2. Kneed into a ball, then place in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth
3. Set aside in the fridge for 1 hour
4. Once ready, preheat oven to 350
5. Take out the dough and divide into 4 round balls
6. Roll out into flat circles about 1/3 an inch thick (the thickness does matter here)
7. Place pita bread onto a lightly sprayed backing sheet
8. Put into the oven and make for 10-15 minuets (check on them often.... you may see them start to pillow up; that's a good thing though! It makes it easier to stuff the pita)

Here is what you will need for the Filling:

1/2 cup quinoa (red or white)

1/2 cup drained black beans

2 handfuls of spinach

1/4 of a large green pepper

1/2 of an onion

1 cup of mushrooms

Balsamic Vinegar 

Garlic powder, black pepper, salt 

To make the Filling:
1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add quinoa, reduce heat and simmer until water has boiled out
2. In a pan, heat a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
3. Chop onions, mushrooms, and green pepper, then add to the heated pan
4. Throw in a few handfuls of spinach and allow to saute for about 7 minuets
5. Add black beans and quinoa to the pan as well
6. Season to taste, stirring for another 5 minuets

Putting it all together:
1. Once the pita bread is done, take them out the oven and allow to cool for a few minuets
2. Cut each pita in half with a pizza cutter or a knife (if the bread it pillowed up, then you don't have to do much more than that in order to stuff it!)
3. Take a small knife and cut into the pita to create a small pocket inside (you may spoon some of the extra bread out if there is a lot inside)
4. Stuff the filling into the pita pocket with a spoon
5. Arrange on a plate and enjoy!


So how were they, you ask?

Well, Dennis and I enjoyed them quite a lot! Dennis even took one to the studio with him to eat later tonight.

The only thing I would have changed about what I did was to take the pita bread out sooner. I left it in there for a bit too long and they got really hard and dry. They would have been much softer and easier to stuff if I had taken them out sooner. That's why I wrote in the directions to watch them closely! I also would have rolled them into thicker pieces; some of mine were too thin, which is why I specify to roll them into 1/3inch thick pieces. If you want to play it safe, do 1/2 inch!

I will definitely be making this again! The quinoa and black beans makes this meal really high in protein, and I also liked the taste of the balsamic vinegar in the filling. I may start sauteing more food with this rather than with oil!

Let me know if you have any more requests! We're almost done with the Daniel Fast, so stay strong and lean upon the Lord!