Tex-Mex Quinoa Casserole

I just recently decided to become a vegetarian and have been looking for recipes that will please the non-meat eaters as well. You see, both the Mr. and myself grew up on a meat and potatoes diet. Every meal had a meat, a starch, and a side of veggies. So while the Mr. was away on training I decided to take the jump into becoming a vegetarian. I'd always wanted to do it. Heck, I remember declaring that I'd no longer eat meat when I was younger, only to pile my plate with rotisserie chicken that same night for dinner. I have tried multiple times to stop eating meat but the truth is, I had no idea how to not eat meat. Am I now subjecting myself to tofu dinners for the rest of my life? Or worse, salads every day? Thankfully, the internet has an abundance of vegetarian recipes that will not only satisfy the non-vegetarians in your life, but will make the switch a little easier.

This is a really easy recipe to make and it's delicious too. You can make it ahead, store it in the fridge, and then pop it in the oven when you're ready. Which is exactly what I did. Since this recipe makes a huge casserole, I wound up putting about half of it into my silicone muffin tin and freezing it for a later date. Which, even when it's thawed out and reheated, it still tastes just as good as the day it was made. I've actually served this to the Mr. when he got back and he really enjoyed it. Even though I got a strange look from him when I pulled out a frozen ball from the freezer and called it dinner. The only bad thing about this recipe is that we both felt like hot sauce was in order, but then again, we are hot sauce fanatics.



Recipe adapted from iFoodReal 

• 1 1/2 cup quinoa, dry 
• 2 tbsp coconut oil 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1 (12 oz) can of corn, drained (fresh or frozen corn is fine) 
• 3 bell peppers, diced 
• 1/2 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced 
• 1 tbsp cumin 
• 1 (15 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained 
• 3/4 cup plus 1/4 cup (for garnish) cilantro, chopped 
•  1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup (for garnish) green onions, chopped 
• 1 1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup Tex Mex cheese, shredded
• 3/4 cup coconut milk, light 
• 1/4 tsp salt

1. Cook quinoa as per package instructions and undercook by 4 minutes. Add to a large mixing bowl.
2. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and get 8 x 11 baking dish ready. Set aside.
3. Preheat large skillet on medium heat and add coconut oil. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds mixing often. Add corn, bell peppers, jalapeno pepper and cumin. Mix and saute undisturbed for 3 minutes, mix and saute for another 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with quinoa.
4. To a bowl with quinoa and sauteed vegetables, add black beans, 3/4 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup green onions, 1.5 cup cheese, coconut milk and salt. Mix enough to combine all ingredients.
5. Transfer the mixture to 8 x 11 baking dish, sprinkle with remaining 0.5 cup cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes uncovered. Remove from the oven, sprinkle with remaining cilantro and green onions, and serve warm. No need to let the casserole to cool down.