Recipe: "Dirty John" Quinoa

I bought this cookbook forever ago and even though I flip thru it every once in a while, I've yet to really make anything from it. So today while I was making a grocery list, I thought I'd give it another shot and decided on some "Dirty John" Quinoa. I'm always trying to find inventive ways to do my grains since the beau prefers meals with a little more 'substance' and I'm trying to avoid meat again. Let's hope this one is a winner. Smells delicious! 

"Dirty John" Quinoa 

2 teaspoons olive oil (optional)

1 small yellow onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained (I did more)

1 cup chopped mushrooms of your choice (I left these out)

3 cups cooked black-eyed peas or 2 (15 oz) cans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

1 (4 oz) can diced mild green chiles, drained and finely chopped

(I used Rotel with chiles and tomatoes + some Hoppin' Joe black eyed peas)

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1-1/2 cups vegetable broth (I doubled this)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

hot sauce, for serving

This is a condensed version of the recipe since I didn't want to have to type it out.

1. Heat oil and add minced onion -- saute until softened. Add garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds longer. 2. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker and add the quinoa, mushrooms, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, chiles, Worcestershire sauce, paprika and the broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on High until the quinoa is tender, about 2 hours. If your slow cooker runs 'hot', check it after an hour and a half. 3. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Serve hot, passing around hot sauce at the table. Serves: 4 to 6 people -- I made a little extra so that I had leftovers.

I'll let you guys know how it turns out!