Quinoa is mistakenly thought of as a grain — it's actually a seed. It's gluten-free and has twice the protein of an equal amount of brown rice.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and quinoa and cook for about 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Don't let the garlic brown.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the quinoa is almost tender to the bite but slightly hard in the center, about 12 minutes. The mixture will be brothy. Stir in the arugula, carrot and mushrooms and simmer until the quinoa grains have turned from white to translucent, about 2 minutes longer.

Stir in the cheese and season with the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup quinoa, well rinsed
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable stock or broth
• 2 cups chopped, stemmed arugula (rocket)
• 1 small carrot, peeled and finely shredded
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper