Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Cheesy Quinoa & Cauliflower Bake

My first experience with quinoa that I can remember is Marlina making this recipe.  It was a hit in our house and gone fast-too fast!  This was before quinoa became so popular.  I think what I most liked about it stands true to this day-it’s healthy & you can feel good about eating it.  Quinoa is definitely one of my favorite grains to work with-I love using it in salads or as a main dish. I love the vegetables added to this dish-I don’t eat a lot of cauliflower & leeks and the combination works out perfectly.  Plus the cheesy cheddar & dill flavor-you can’t beat thatJ Yum!  I’ll be sure to make this before I work-great leftovers & lunch!

P.S. Happy Canada Day! 

Looking for more great quinoa recipes?  You better try these ones out!

Quinoa with Roasted Beets & Chive Vinaigrette    

Mexican Quinoa

Fall Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Cheesy Cauliflower & Quinoa Bake

Makes one 9X13 inch pan

INGREDIENTS

2 cups uncooked quinoa

2 ½ cup water

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 leeks, sliced thinly

½ cup garlic scapes, sliced thinly

1 onion, diced

1 head cauliflower, chopped coarsely

½ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped coarsely

¼ cup fresh dill, cut finely

¾ cup green onion, cut finely

Salt & pepper, to taste

1 lemon, juiced

1 ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup feta, crumbled

¼ cup red star yeast

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9X13 baking dish.

In a small saucepan on high heat, bring the quinoa and water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes.

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, leeks & garlic scapes until slightly translucent. Add in the cauliflower, stir and cover, until the cauliflower  is slightly softened, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Add in the rest of the ingredients-olives, dill, green onion, lemon juice, red star yeast, cheddar & feta cheese. Season with salt & pepper. Stir until well combined. Transfer to the 9X13 baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot.

Source: adapted from The Hollyhock Cookbook