Cheesy Quinoa!

Cheesy Quinoa!

So I'm always trying to put quinoa in things to eat it more often. I hear it's good for you, right? So how would it fare in a comfort food recipe like Mac and Cheese to make that slightly healthier than The Worst Thing For You That You Love To Eat? Turns out, it's pretty damn good. I'm not calling it Mac and Cheese, it really deserves to be called its own thing.

1c. quinoa cooked in 2c. water (bring both to a boil, cover it, and let it simmer 25 min. until absorbed)

Meanwhile, make a roux with

2 Tb. butter

1 Tb. flour

and gradually stir in 1/2 c. milk (I used plain soy milk. It's all I had around, and it worked just fine!) and 1/2 c. vegetable broth

Then add in 1/2 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach

and the cooked quinoa.

salt and black pepper to taste

Divide into individual baking dishes (I used 3 mini-tart pans) and top with sprinkle of breadcrumbs (I made my own!! From my own bread!!), grated Parmigiano, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. 

This is a great size for a side dish for 2 or 3 eaters (if I'd made more--I could probably get myself into a lot of trouble). It has 2x the protein as regular mac & cheese!