Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

I cannot believe the summer is almost over!  I was in my classroom today, trying to get things ready for next week.  I always hate for summer to end, but even I have to admit that there have been so many changes in our school over the summer that it almost makes going back exciting.  Then again, I planned to get up early today and I got up at 10:30... 6:15 is not going to be pleasant!

Back to the food!  This quinoa bake is exquisite. Mark and I loved eating it for dinner as a main dish, but then we also ate it for a few days as a side dish.  We actually had enough left over that I was able to bring it for our family vacation at Seabrook.  My family is a bit less wild about quinoa than Mark and me, so it was a big deal that people ate it and enjoyed it!  They liked to eat it with tortilla chips as a dip.  Either way, it's excellent.

Besides tasting great (lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and fresh cilantro help to spice it up, not to mention enchilada sauce and lots of cheese melted over the top!), it's so colorful and pretty!  There are multiple colors of peppers, bright yellow corn, green cilantro and scallions - it's like a rainbow casserole.  Plus, it makes a huge amount (8 - 10 servings) and freezes well.  What's not to like?  I'd say this is a good dish for quinoa lovers and quinoa not-so-sure-about-its alike!

Recipe:

black bean and quinoa enchilada bake
from Two Peas and their Pod
serves 8 - 10

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup corn frozen kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

Instructions:

1)  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. 

2) Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

3) In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers and corn. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4) In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

5) Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm.

Roasted Veggie Quinoa Bowls with Peanut Sauce

I stand by my statement that every recipe that Annie's Eats posts in her Let's Do Lunch series is amazing.  Every time she posts one, I get excited, because they are always healthy, filling, and delicious.  This recipe is no exception!  Onions, peppers, eggplant, and snow peas get roasted to bring out their natural sweetness, and then they are mixed with nutty quinoa and the most delicious peanut sauce.  You end up with a huge (6 - 8 serving!) bowl of exquisite, protein-packed lunch!

I actually made it for dinner, rather than lunch - since it's vacation week and I don't have to pack lunches! But this is definitely the perfect make-ahead lunch.  It reheats really well in the microwave, and it's also just fine served as a cold salad (although personally I prefer it hot).

I got my mom to eat it (albeit on top of white rice), and even though she isn't a quinoa fan, she said it was very good, and especially loved the peanut sauce.  I agree that you could just make the sauce and throw it on anything and call it dinner.  Kenzie really liked it too, and so did Maggie, who was happy to see that it's a gluten free option for her!  Personally, I thought the eggplant was the best part (not surprising since I am newly obsessed with it).  It gets so juicy and sweet and... I think I need to go have another serving for lunch!  This will definitely be a recipe that I make again when I get back to needing to pack lunches for work... but let's not think about that  yet!

Recipe:

roasted veggie quinoa bowls with peanut sauce
from Annie's Eats
yield 6 - 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant (about 12 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 small onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, seeded and chopped
6 ounces snow peas
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup uncooked quinoa

for the peanut sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions:

1) In a medium bowl, combine the cubed eggplant and the salt; toss well to combine .  Transfer to a colander in the sink and let sit 30 minutes to draw water out of the eggplant.  Transfer to a plate lined with clean kitchen towels or paper towels and press out as much excess water as you can.

2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil.  On the baking sheet, combine the drained eggplant, onion, bell peppers, and snow peas.  Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during baking.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

3) While the vegetables are roasting, rinse the quinoa well and drain in a fine mesh sieve.  Cook according to package directions.  When the quinoa is cooked and has cooled slightly, combine in a large mixing bowl with the vegetables.

4) To make the peanut sauce, combine the olive oil, soy sauce, and peanut butter in a bowl or measuring cup.  Whisk to blend until smooth.  Add in the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and whisk once more until smooth.  Add the peanut sauce to the bowl with the quinoa and veggies.  Gently fold together until everything is evenly combined.  Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Quinoa and Winter Squash Bake

I cannot stress enough how delicious this quinoa and winter squash bake was.  All I can tell you is that Mark and I basically ate the entire thing ourselves throughout a week for both lunch and dinner, and we were  both thrilled.  It is a filling, hearty, warm vegetarian dish that is perfect for both fall and winter; it has winter squash, so that's wintry, and also pepitas and dried cranberries, which is very fall-ish.

So let's talk about this bake.  It's made in a pie plate which is adorable, and it's full of delicious treats besides the pepitas and cranberries which give it such a great texture.  It has both mashed and cubed roasted squash, and heaps of fresh herbs - marjoram, rosemary, sage and thyme (I have no idea what marjoram is and so it didn't go into my bake).

The recipe calls for flax to make it vegan, but I used eggs; one egg replaces one tablespoon of ground flax, so I used 3 eggs and it all held together beautifully.  You can actually cut it like a pie.  I also used a squash different than the butternut that it recommends.... although I am still not totally sure what it was.  Kenzie brought it home from a friend at work.  It was round and green and stripy and bumpy... but hey it was good!  I think any squash would work fine.

This was exquisite the night I made it; it was creamy from the mashed squash, but had a crunch from quinoa and pumpkin seeds, and little pops of surprise sweetness from the Craisins.  It was literally one of the best things I've made in a while.

Recipe:

quinoa and winter squash bake
from The Kitchnn
serves 8

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds butternut or other winter squash
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing dish and brushing on top
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs (or to be vegan, 3 tablespoons ground flax mixed with 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon water)
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups cooked quinoa
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons dried currants or chopped dried cranberries

Instructions:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Peel and cut the squash into 1/2-inch cubes.  Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Roast until tender, about 30 minutes, turning halfway through.  Remove from the oven and lower the temperature to 350 degrees.

2) Mash half the squash using a fork.  Add the mashed squash to the 3 eggs (or to the mixture of flax and water) and stir with a fork until well-combined.  Set aside.

3) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and herbs and cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is soft and translucent.  Transfer to a large bowl.

4) Add the quinoa and mashed squash-egg mixture to the bowl along with paprika, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, and a few cracks of black pepper.  Stir until well-combined.  Add the remaining cubed squash, pumpkin seeds, and currants/cranberries, and stir until combined.

5) Transfer the mixture to a greased 9-inch pie plate or a similar-sized oven-proof dish.  Press it down firmly and evenly and brush a little olive oil on top.  Bake until set and edges are browned, about 40 minutes.

6) Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.  Leftovers will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to a week.

A teacher's best friend at work is a great lunch :)

Quinoa Veggie Burgers

What? Real burgers!?  ;)

In my never-ending quest for veggie burgers that not only I want to devour, but that will please my family to, I tried out these little beauties.  While I can't say that everyone loved them - mostly due to the fact that they have portobello mushrooms in them and both sisters refuse to eat mushrooms - they were delicious, and my mom and Mark were both big fans.  Particularly, Mom loved them and constantly told me these were the best veggie burgers I ever made.  She especially loved that they actually looked like real burgers: brown and thick and, well, meaty.  She made fun of my other veggie burgers and said she was glad these ones didn't have broccoli florets sticking out :)

But in all seriousness, these guys have a lot of good things going for them besides the fact that they look like hamburgers.  The portobello mushrooms add their color but don't give it an overly mushroomy taste - Mark is not a fan of mushrooms so I managed to forget to tell him that they were in there, and he never suspected a thing.  In addition to the mushrooms, there is zucchini and shallot for veggies, but the bulk of them is quinoa.  That's one of the best parts about the burgers: they are full of protein, and the quinoa also helps them to seem meaty in texture.

The other amazing thing about the quinoa veggie burgers - and this is not something to be skipped - is the yogurt-garlic sauce.  It's light, tangy, and really flavorful with fresh parsley, garlic, and capers mixed in.  It is not optional!

Recipes:

quinoa veggie burgers with yogurt-garlic sauce
from Meatless by Martha Stewart
serves 6

Ingredients:
2 portobello mushrooms (8 ounces), stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 ounce finely-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
2 cups cooked quinoa
coarse salt and freshly-ground pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs
yogurt garlic sauce (see below)
6 whole wheat buns, split and toasted
1 cup sprouts
1/2 English cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch thick

Instructions:
1) Pulse mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a bowl.  Coarsely grate zucchini; place on paper towels, and squeeze to remove excess moisture. Add to mushrooms.

2) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add shallot and red pepper flakes, and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a bowl and add cheese and quinoa; season with salt and pepper.  Let cool completely, then stir in egg and bread crumbs.  Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

3) Heat remaining 2tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Shape mixture into 6 1-inch-thick patties, pressing firmly.  Cook in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.  To serve, spread yogurt sauce onto buns and sandwich with patties, sprouts, and cucumber.

yogurt-garlic sauce

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 tablespoon capers, preferably salt-packed, rinsed, and cleaned
1 small garlic clove, minced
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
Combine yogurt, parsley, capers, and garlic in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Asian Quinoa Salad

I have a love for all things quinoa, all things Asian, and all things edamame.  Therefore, what is not to love in an Asian quinoa salad with edamame!?  The answer to that is nothing.

Honestly besides the fact that this tastes great, the way it looks is one of my favorite things about it.  It is so colorful and bright, with the green edamame, red pepper, purple cabbage... it's like a rainbow in a bed of brown quinoa.  Dorky comparison, but seriously have you ever seen a prettier salad?

And then there is the flavor.  The dressing is a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, red wine vinegar, scallion, cilantro, sesame seeds, and ginger.  Doesn't it just sound delicious?  It's literally bursting with flavor without even considering the vegetables in there.  This salad was a huge hit with some unexpected people.  Mark, for example, ate almost the whole thing in two day's time.  And my most surprise customer was Amelia, who is, after all, a two-year old.  I can only hope someday my toddler asks for "more queenwah."  If you can get a little kid to eat quinoa, you know the salad must be delicious!

Recipe:

Asian quinoa salad
from Two Peas and Their Pod
serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup shelled and cooked edamame (I used frozen)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber

for the dressing:
1/4 cup light soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1) Add water, quinoa and salt to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Boil for 5 minutes.  Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

2) Place the quinoa in a large bowl and add the cabbage, edamame, red pepper, carrots and cucumber.  Set aside.

3) In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, green onions, cilantro, sesame seeds, ginger, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

4) Pour the dressing over the quinoa salad and stir to combine.