This is now my seventh recipe featuring quinoa. Can you tell I’m slightly obsessed? The first quinoa recipe I tried from Pinterest was the Buffalo Chicken Quinoa Mac and Cheese. Of course, it was absolutely delicious. Now it was time to try a new spin on a classic recipe; Quinoa Mac and Cheese.
Ingredients:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium leek or chives halved and sliced (I left these out.)
- 1/2 cup diced tomato, or red/green pepper (I used tomato and green pepper, but you can really add anything you want.)
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- pinch of salt
- a few grinds of seasoning salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups of water (or stock)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese, more for sprinkling
- Optional – Crushed Red Pepper, Panko Bread crumbs for topping
- Optional Topping – salsa, hot sauce, sour cream, scallions, etc
Directions:
- Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add veggies of choice; cover and cook 5 mins or until tender. Stir in quinoa and garlic, and cook, uncovered, 3-4 minutes, or until grains start to turn opaque.
- Add 3 cups water (or stock) and season with salt and the seasoning salt. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15-20 minutes or moreor until most liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 13×9 inch dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and cheese. Stir very well and let some of the cheese melt. It will seem a little “soupy”, but don’t worry, it will all mold together.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish and if using bread crumbs, add now. You can also sprinkle a bit more cheese on now if you prefer for topping. Bake 25-35 minutes, or until browned around edges.
Yup, this was just as amazing as I hoped it would be. The best part is, I like it just as much as traditional mac and cheese. This version is WAY healthier, so that’s a definite score.
Source:
Monica Nelson Fitness
