Quinoa Enchilada Bake with Black Beans and Butternut Squash

Winter Dark

by Lillian Moore

Winter dark comes early

mixing afternoon

and night.

Soon

there's a comma of a moon,

and each street light

along the 

way

puts its period

to the end of day.

Now 

a neon sign

punctuates the 

dark with a bright blinking

breathless

exclamation mark! 

Quinoa  is a  good gluten-free source of protein, iron, and fiber. It is a quick and flavorful way to get in a serving of whole grains. About the size of couscous pellets, quinoa cooks in about 20 minutes. The only special handling required with quinoa is to give it a good rinse before cooking; otherwise, the grains can be bitter. 

Quinoa has been consumed for thousands of years in South America, although it only became trendy and reached “superfood status” a few years ago in the United States. These days, you can find quinoa and products made with it all over the world especially in health food stores and restaurants that emphasize natural foods. There are three main types of quinoa: white, red and black.

Quinoa's mild taste and rich texture make it perfect for different kinds of dishes. It can also be eaten on its own as a side dish with a bit of butter or oil and seasonings. 

This week's postings will features several dishes made with quinoa. Its a healthy start to the new year.

  Quinoa Enchilada Bake with Black Beans and Butternut Squash

Cook's notes: This enchilada bake is a healthy lightened up version you can enjoy guilt free.  Quinoa fills in for traditional tortillas. Adding in roasted butternut squash gives the dish a touch of sweetness. Scoop chips worked well with this dish. We really enjoyed the meal.

recipe adapted from yummymummy.com

Ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups cooked quinoa= ( 1 cup uncooked quinoa and 2 cups of water) 
• 3 TB. olive oil
• 1 TB. dark balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion
• 1 cup diced combination of Sweet Bells Baby Peppers red and yellow
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• juice from one lime
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups of frozen corn
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2 cups roasted butternut squash cubes
• 2  cups fat reduced 4 Mexican cheeses
• 1-1/4 cups red enchilada sauce or 12. can/jar
• 3 TB. green chiles

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Cook quinoa according to box directions 
• In a large skillet heat 1 TB. olive oil and add onions. Saute until softened. Add in bell peppers and garlic, saute until peppers are soft on medium heat. Add in lime juice, cumin, chili powder, cooked quinoa, cilantro, roasted butternut squash, 2 cups of corn, chiles, 1 cup cheese and enchilada sauce. Toss to combine. 
• Place mixture into a 13 x 9 pan. With a rubber spatula smooth out mixture  and add in rest of cheese. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 8 minutes more. 
• Let dish rest 5 minutes before cutting. Serve with chips. 

How to cook quinoa:

Rinse 1 cup quinoa in cold water. In a  saucepan, bring quinoa to a boil in  2 cups of water. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water has been absorbed and quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.

How to roast butternut squash:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Toss butternut cubes with 2 TB. olive oil. Drizzle 1 TB. dark balsamic vinegar over cubes. Roast 15 minutes or until tender.

Suggested toppings:

guacamole and/or avocado slices