If you love the show Portlandia then you’ll be crazy about the new Portlandia cookbook. It’s funny, creative, and highly entertaining. But, most importantly, it’s packed with easy to follow recipes that celebrate the cutting edge food culture of Portland, Oregon.

The first recipe I tried, Kale And Quinoa Bowl With Tofu And Mushrooms, is a home run. It’s also the first recipe where I have enjoyed quinoa. Whatever it is about this preparation and combination of ingredients, I thought it was extremely delicious.

Like the show’s iconic sketch where Carrie and Fred encourage us to “Put a bird on it” on everything from teapots to toast, the cookbook suggests that we “Lay An Egg On It” for certain recipes. Like this one. Do it!

Kale And Quinoa Bowl With Tofu And Mushrooms

Ingredients:

Quinoa (recipe follows)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 cups trimmed and sliced mixed wild mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
8 oz firm tofu, cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 large shallot, minced
2 tsp minced fresh ginger
5 oz baby kale (about 6 lightly packed cups)
1 1/2 Tbs soy sauce
4 fried eggs, optional

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove mushrooms onto a plate.

2. Heat another tablespoon of the oil in the same skillet. Add tofu and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Add tofu to the mushrooms on the plate.

3. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same skillet. Add shallots and ginger and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring until wilted, about 3 minutes.

4. Return the tofu and mushrooms to the skillet and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce and cook for 1 minute longer.

5. Mound quinoa in bowls and top with the kale mixture. Lay an egg on it, if you like, and serve.

Serves 4

Quinoa

Ingredients:

1 Tbs vegetable Oil
1 large shallot, minced
3/4 cup quinoa
Kosher salt

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes.

2. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring until it begins to pop, about 3 minutes.

3. Add 1½ cups water and a pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.

4. Let sit off the heat for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Recipes from The Portlandia Cookbook

Sleater-Kinney is a most logical choice to pair with today’s recipe. ‘No Cities To Love’, their first new album in about 10 years, is a hard core rocker with lots to love. You go grrrrrls!

Check out Sleater-Kinney on Bandcamp, where you can learn of upcoming world tour dates and buy their music.

Cheers!