Are you on the fence about quinoa? This recipe for a One Pan Quinoa Bake just might change your mind. It worked for my kids.
I probably discovered, and fell in love with, quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) some seven or eight years ago. I kind of use it the same way I use cous cous … as an add-in to a stir fry, casserole, salad, or something else along those lines that needs an ingredient to bulk it up a bit. Quinoa doesn’t have a ton of flavor on its own, but it soaks up the flavors of whatever it’s added to really nicely.
My kids, on the other hand, are not exactly fans, so I usually don’t mention it’s in a dish. It’s not like I’m trying to hide it or sneak it in … I just don’t call attention to it, and everyone is happy.
Because, to be honest, quinoa is one of those quiet super foods that is really good for you, so I want my family to be eating it more often, so if I have to add it into a delicious casserole bake with cheese … well, so be it. You can check out some of quinoa’s health benefits right here, but in a nut shell, it’s a grain that is high in protein, has been eaten for thousands of years (starting in South America), has been studied by NASA as a “suitable crop to be grown in outer space,” and 2013 was designated as the “International Year of Quinoa.” I mean, how do you ignore that type of pedigree?
A few months back, the folks at Pereg reached out and offered to send me samples of their quinoa line, so of course I said yes. Their product line has several different flavors, and are all super quick to prepare, and low-maintenance, and I used the roasted garlic version for this dish.
I am a huge fan of one pan meals because between a reasonably busy life and my cooking workshops, the less dishes I have to deal with, the better. I found this recipe from Veggie Balance, and it was on the table in under thirty minutes. Hello weeknight savior! I’m not gonna lie, my kids totally picked out the sweet potatoes and left them on the side of their plate but … hey! They ate quinoa! Small victories! And really with Mexican flavors and melted cheese, I knew it was going to be a winner from the start.
Hungry for more quinoa dishes?
This Asian Quinoa Salad makes for a healthy, delicious lunch.
These granola bars are a unique way to use quinoa and kept me snacking happily for a good week.
And if you’re sad to see summer go, you can hang on just a wee bit longer with this recipe.
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