Cheesy Broccoli-Quinoa Bake

My husband and I really loved this one.  For some reason, quinoa in any form is a hard sell with my kids, even if it is covered in cheese.  I don't make it nearly often enough, and maybe that's why.  Although, we were making quinoa (occasionally) years ago before it was popular!  My husband worked in a natural food store in high school and became familiar with quinoa and other "health foods".  He sometimes makes a breakfast quinoa; I will have to share that recipe sometime. 

Cheesy Broccoli-Quinoa Bake
adapted from Annie's Eats

1½ cups quinoa
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 shallots, diced
2 cups milk (low-fat is fine)
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. dry mustard
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded*
2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1.  Cook the quinoa according to the package directions. Meanwhile, steam the broccoli using a steamer basket, until the broccoli is crisp-tender.  Set aside.

2.  Preheat the oven to 400˚ F. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, shallots, garlic powder, dry mustard and cayenne. Continue whisking the mixture until it is light golden, about 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk. Allow the sauce to simmer, stirring frequently, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the cheddar until melted and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, broccoli florets, shredded cooked chicken and the cheese sauce. Fold together gently until evenly combined.  (Or you can mix all ingredients right in your large casserole dish.)

3.  Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased casserole dish. Bake until the top is lightly browned, about 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.

*For best results, always use freshly shredded cheese. Pre-shredded cheese comes coated in things such as flour, cornstarch to prevent clumping and results in an unpleasant, gritty texture when melted. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/**/

Quinoa with Pine Nuts & Sautéed Shallots

Quinoa is a healthy, grain-like superfood.  It is a complete protein, which is pretty cool, since it is a plant.  It's also full of vitamins, minerals, and our good friend fiber.  :)  Quinoa is really, really good for you.  The ancient Incas grew it, and to them it was a sacred grain; they called it "Mother of all grains".  You pronounce it "keen-wa" (thanks, Bob's Red Mill package!)  And, I can even buy it locally!

Quinoa is gaining both recognition and popularity these days.  It's even trendy.  But I was first introduced to this super grain about ten years ago, when my husband cooked it for me.  He makes a delicious sweet quinoa dish with cinnamon-sauteed apples, brown sugar, and quinoa.  It's great for breakfast.  He used to work at a natural foods store and learned about quinoa there.  After being introduced to it, I tried to cook it myself a few times, but I was never really pleased with the result.  For me, quinoa needs to be cooked in something flavorful, because by itself, I just don't love it.  When I saw this recipe recently, I had a "duh" moment; she uses chicken broth instead of just water.  (You could use veggie broth to vegan-ize this). 

I loved this dish- I used a good-quality chicken broth; it really matters here.  I also used shallots instead of boring ol' onions, and I let some of them get a bit crusty and brown while sautéeing.  They were almost the best part!  :)  Actually, my husband and I loved the shallots so much that we ate them all, so for the leftovers, I had to sautée some more.  We had this last week and I'm already wanting to make it again, sometime soon.

Note:  This recipe calls for Quinoa to be rinsed before cooking.  This is to remove a bitter substance naturally found on quinoa.  However, certain brands come ready-to-cook with no rinsing required.  The brand I used, Bob's Red Mill Organic Quinoa, does not need to be rinsed.  Check your package.

Quinoa with Pine Nuts & Sautéed Shallots
adapted from Ellie Krieger of the Food Network

2 cups low-sodium chicken or veggie broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed (if package states to)

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-4 shallots, thinly sliced

1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional

Salt and pepper

1.  In a medium sized saucepan, bring the broth to a boil.  Add the quinoa and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and grain is tender.

2.  Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. (Do not walk away from these!)  Remove nuts from pan and set aside. Heat the oil in the same skillet over a medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions soften and begin to brown, about 6 minutes.  (Shallots may crisp up instead of softening- either way is delicious). 

3.  When the quinoa is done, fluff with a fork and transfer to a large serving bowl. Stir in the pine nuts, onions, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **