Black Bean & Quinoa Enchilada Bake

I also want to share a great new recipe we tried last week. I found it on pinterest, and the link to the blog, where it was originally posted, is at the bottom. Naturally, Matt was skeptical because a.) this doesn't have meat; and b.) this doesn't have meat. But he was willing to give it a try. And guess what: He loved it. Seriously. I'm not just saying that. His exact words were: "You can make that anytime."

Black Bean & Quinoa Enchilada Bake

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed,diced
1 red pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 orange pepper, seeds removed, diced
1 cup frozen 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, prepared
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese - or however much you want
optional toppings: sliced green onions, avocado slices, sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork, and keep covered until ready to add to dish.

3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and corn. 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.

4. Turn heat off on your skillet, and stir in the quinoa and black beans. Pour in enchilada sauce and about 1/2 cup of cheese.

5.Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until edges are bubbly, then turn the broiler on for a few minutes to brown your cheese a bit. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm. Garnish with toppings, if desired.

MY NOTES: Since this was a trial run, I cut the recipe in half and used an 8-inch square baking dish instead of a 9x13. I didn't have a fresh jalapeno, but we did have some in a jar, so I chopped up a spoonful of those. I also didn't have lime juice, so I squeezed in a little lemon juice instead. I didn't have cilantro and didn't miss it. If I have some next time I'll throw it in. I also didn't mix the cheese in, but just sprinkled it on top before baking. I topped mine with avocado. We ate it with tortilla chips, but you can also just spoon it up and eat it straight out of the bowl. We ate every bit of it except one little spoonful. Even Finn liked it. (Lola was at Pop and Gigi's the night we made this, so she missed out.) I will definitely be making this again, and next time I'll make the full recipe, so we can have more leftovers. The author says it also freezes well.

Find the original recipe and some beautiful, colorful photos of the dish here.