Quinoa Baked 2 Ways, into a Casserole and "Muffins"

I love scooping this quinoa casserole into a bowl and topping it with cilantro and hot sauce. It's good hot or cold, so it's great leftover for lunch the next day. 

The quinoa can also be baked in a muffin tin for a healthy breakfast or snack on the go.

 

See Also

Baked Quinoa with Sausage and Cheese

Baked Quinoa with Feta and Olives

Baked Quinoa with Drunken Goat Cheese and Roasted Red Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups uncooked quinoa
• 12 ounces (1 1/4 cups) Pico de Gallo salsa, drained of liquid 
• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup defrosted frozen chopped spinach (excess water squeezed out; see below)
• 1 to 3 cups grated Cheddar (depending on how cheesy you want it)
• 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, whisked
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 450 F

Rinse the quinoa. In a medium pot, bring the quinoa and 2 1/4 cups water to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and cook the quinoa with a lid for 12 to 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Fluff the quinoa and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the salsa, beans, spinach, Cheddar cheese, bell pepper, cumin, chili powder and salt. Add the quinoa and stir well.

  Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Pour in the eggs and gently mix.

Spread the quinoa out in an oiled 8x8/2 quart baking dish, or a dish similar in size. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top.

To make quinoa "muffins" line a muffin tin with muffin liners. Spray the inside of the liners with cooking spray or brush lightly with oil. Fill each muffin tin halfway, pressing down on the quinoa to pack it in, then fill to the top and press down on the quinoa again. Sprinkle crumbled feta on top of each "muffin."

Baked for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges of the quinoa and the feta on top are browned.

Remove from the oven. Quinoa in a casserole pan can be eaten immediately, but if you want it to have a texture that holds together better, refrigerate and cool the dish completely before eating. If making the quinoa muffins, let them cool completely in the refrigerator before eating or they won't hold together. The muffins can be re-heated in a microwave or eaten cold.

Cooking with Frozen Spinach

Frozen, chopped spinach is something I always keep in my freezer.

It's easy to add the spinach to almost any recipe to give it a boost in nutrients. Follow these steps to defrost the spinach and remove excess water so it doesn't make the rest of the dish soggy:

1. Put the spinach in a fine mesh strainer or colander with really small holes and run warm water over it until the spinach is defrosted.
2. Press down on the spinach in the colander with your hands to remove moisture.
3. Put the spinach in the middle of two paper towels (spinach won’t stick to paper towels like it does to cloth towels). Fold the paper towels over the spinach, like a little square package, then squeeze until most of the moisture is gone.