Mexican Quinoa Casserole

To feed my Mexican food obsession without eating all of my calories for the day in one meal, I started making this dish. I jazzed up a dip recipe and pumped it full of quinoa. It's full of fiber, flavor, and will fill you up for hours. My favorite part was making the homemade refried black beans. Who knew they could be so simple?! Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable broth

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup water

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 green onions, diced
1 tsp cumin

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jar roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and chopped

1 roma tomato, diced

1/4 cup manchego cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375F

In a pot, heat oil on medium low

Add onions and garlic stirring for 3 minutes
Add in beans and cumin
Add 1 cup broth to the beans

Pour in lime juice

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes covered

Either puree with an emersion blender OR mash with a fork

Meanwhile, cook quinoa according to package 

(I replaced one of the cups of water for broth for flavor)

Place the quinoa in the bottom of a glass baking dish 

Pour beans over quinoa

Top with roasted red peppers and tomatoes

Sprinkle with cheese and green onions

Place in oven for 20 minutes covered with foil

Remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes, or until cheese gets crispy and golden

Top with green onions and eat up!