We have been trying to experiment with quinoa at our house. We received a bag of it for free in an amazing Bob's Red Mill sampler promotion this summer and I have been trying to find ways to prepare it that we like. We experimented with a few different things and then I saw this recipe on Monica's Fitness and I knew we had to try it. If I can find a way to incorporate a health food into something like mac & cheese, that would be quite a success.
As I was making the recipe I was a little skeptical about how it would turn out. I made a few changes to the original recipe (when don't I?) and I was totally afraid it was too liquidy going into the oven. But I think the extra liquid allowed it to stay nice and moist even after baking.
We had it for dinner with a salad and Honey Cornbread. Justin topped his with a little salsa and we heated it up for lunch the next day too. Justin even tried it for breakfast with a fried egg on top. All in all, we loved it and will be making it again for sure.
Quinoa Mac & Cheese
- Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes (or you could use red peppers)
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk ( I used low-fat)
- 1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese (I used reduced fat), more for topping if you like
- Panko Bread crumbs for topping
1.) Heat 2 tsp of oil in med. saucepan over med. heat. Add tomatoes (or any veggies you want); cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in quinoa and garlic, and cook, uncovered, 3-4 mins. (quinoa won't be fully cooked yet, it's ok.)
2.) Add 3 cups water and season with salt and/or seasoning salt ( I used Lawry's). Cover and reduce heat to med-low and simmer 5-10 more minutes, or until most liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let stand 5 minutes.
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| Right after the water was poured in |
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| After I had finished step 2 |
4.) Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until top and edges start to brown.
Enjoy!
