Black Bean and Quinoa Enchilada Bake

I don't often do casseroles because my husband doesn't like them.  But every so often I sneak one in.  He had no problem eating it.  I made the sauce from scratch and enjoyed it enough that the next week I made the sauce again for actual enchiladas.  But you can go store bought, it will be easier.

Source: http://www.feastie.com/recipe/two-peas-their-pod/black-bean-and-quinoa-enchilada-bake

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced (omit this if you don't want to give it to your kids)
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 can corn kernels
Juice of 1 small lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups red enchilada sauce (homemade recipe below)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese (or just whatever you have on hand)
Toppings: Sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream, optional

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peppers. Cook for about 3-4 minutes. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa and black beans and corn. Add the sautéed vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Pour in the enchilada sauce and stir. Add 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

Pour the black bean and quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with toppings, if desired. Serve warm.

Note-this recipe freezes well!

Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
-yields 2-3 cups

Ingredients:


1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp minced onion
1/2 tsp oregano
4 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 cup salsa
1 can tomato paste
2-3 cups homemade chicken broth or watered down chicken broth from a box

Directions:

Sauce oil, garlic, onion and spices together.  Then add salsa, tomato paste and 1 1/2 cups broth.  Blend till smooth in blender and then return to pot.  Bring up to a boil then reduce to gentle simmer and let it go for a couple hours, stirring every so often and adding the rest of the broth slowly to keep a smooth consistency.  After a couple hours, taste and adjust seasoning- possible add more water if it's still too concentrated from tomato paste.  I double the recipe when making enchiladas and then just freeze whatever is left.