#meatlessprotein

Easy Cheesy Baked Quinoa

I’m a pasta gal. Not because I love it above all things but it’s just so much more convenient to throw things together, chuck it in the oven and just wait for the timer to sound off. Especially for a busy mom like myself, this is a go-to dish for me. Eating pasta 3 to 4 times on a weekly basis isn’t the healthiest and let’s face it, it can be quite heavy. An indulgent kind of food only fit for real Italian cooking with with all hand-made fresh ingredients. Ah, I have no time for that. Plus, for supper, I usually prefer lighter meals and pasta just does me in. I usually get food coma from all the starch, cream and dairy al combined. Quinoa is not a grain so it is gluten-free. It is a complete protein meaning it has all 9 of the essential amino acids. and is high in magnesium which is responsible for proper muscle and nerve function. It also provides 15% of recommended daily iron which is great for someone anemic like me. With quinoa being a way healthier alternative to a carbo-loaded casserole, I won’t have to sit with guilt how I just opted for an easy short cut rather than feeding my 15th month old son healthy food so YES, quinoa is a favorite. I even made cookies with them for a past Christmas but that’s a story for another post.

So here’s an awesome alternative! Are you ready?

I swear this is the fastest, easiest meal ever and I love that it uses quinoa!

So let’s get started…

You’ll need:

2 cups cooked organic quinoa (I just used our rice cooker. it’s easier. just fluff when done. tip for cooking quinoa: 1 cup uncooked quinoa equals to 2 cups cooked quinoa.)

1 cup organic roasted garlic pasta sauce or any pasta sauce you like. I prefer a tomato base with a bold distinct flavor.

2 tbsps organic tomato paste

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or any thick nut milk you prefer. I like Silk (new batches have no carragean in them) but you can use dairy milk if you like.

1/4 cup of parmesan cheese or a vegan cheese version

1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in halves 

1 big ball of mozzarella chopped or just get the shredded mozzarella  about 1 cup (they also have vegan versions of this if you want to go all out vegan on this dish).

1 handful of basil leaves,  (I picked mine from our aquaponics), julliened

additionally you can add some julienne spinach if you want more veggies.

1 tsp Italian herbs 

1 tsp paprika

pinch of salt and pepper

Process:

In a small pot, heat together your tomato sauce and tomato paste, add the milk. Once milk is incorporated, add the herbs and paprika. 

Dump the quinoa into the mix then season with salt and pepper. Add your parmesan (leave a little for topping) and some of the basil and tomatoes, both only using half of the amount, making sure to leave enough to top for later. 

Transfer the  quinoa mix into a 9x9 pyrex or non-stick baking dish. Top with mozzarella and the remaining parmesan. Decorate with halved tomatoes and dust a little of the herbs and paprika just to make it look pretty.

Bake at 350 for 15 mins and broil for 3-5mins or until nice and bubbly. We want to toast the cheese and dehydrate the tomatoes - they get sweeter that way.