Quinoa Bake with Broiled Tomato-Cheddar Topping

I participated in a cheese sensory test at school and was asked to taste 8 different types of mozzarella and evaluate them.  We always get compensated in some way at sensory tests, and this time I brought home a huge block of sharp cheddar cheese made in my university's dairy.  I must say, our cheese is quite delicious, with my favorite being the smoked gouda.

I love cheese and felt compelled to use it other ways than on my sandwiches, so I made this quinoa dish.

Nutrition Highlight: Cheddar Cheese

1 ounce of cheddar cheese (the size of 3 dice) is a good way to get one of your 3 servings of daily calcium. Calcium is often touted as the key to healthy bones and teeth.  But it also helps prevent colon cancer because it binds to bile acids in the GI tract, lessening the ability of the acids to cause harm to the cells lining the colon. 

Some good news for ladies is that calcium can decrease risk of PMS.  Unfortunately, most women don't meet the RDA for calcium.

Dairy and sardines are definitely the best way to get calcium.  3 oz of sardines have the same amount of calcium as a glass of lowfat milk mainly because of their edible bones.

It's true that for plant sources, kale and spinach are very high in calcium, but you'd have to eat a significant amount in order to reap the same benefits as a cup of milk or a serving of sardines.  People with lactose intolerance are better off drinking fortified calcium beverages or taking Lactaid when having any dairy than trying to solely rely on plant based sources for their calcium. 

Cooking Tip

Don't bother rinsing quinoa.

When I first started making quinoa I religiously rinsed it as directed by the packages.  The point of rinsing is to remove the bitter tasting saponins.  However, most (if not all) quinoa comes pre-washed.  I forgot to rinse it one time, and the taste was no different than before, so now I just skip that step.

When it comes to buying quinoa, Costco has a great deal with a 4 lb bag costing around $10 ($2.50/lb) while 1 lb at Trader Joes costs $4.  

It's best to store quinoa in the fridge because of its high polyunsaturated fat content.

Quinoa Bake with Broiled Tomato-Cheddar Topping

Printable Recipe

The tomato topping is the star of this dish because the cheese topping gets transformed into irresistible caramelized cheesey goodness.  This dish can be complemented by a green salad with chopped celery and a lemon vinaigrette for some zing and crunch.

1 cups dry quinoa

2 cups water 

1 c broccoli, chopped

1 1/2 c cauliflower, chopped

2 1/2 cups baby spinach  

3 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly 

1/2c flat leaf parsley or cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish)

1 T dried oregano

1 tsp coriander

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 

1/4  tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp oil

3/4 cups chickpeas, cooked

3 large cloves garlic, minced 

1 medium red onion, roughly chopped (1 c)

6 shallots, whole 

1 large egg 

1 c grated cheddar cheese

Breadcrumb Topping

Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl:

2 slices whole wheat bread, ground  
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese 
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder

• Prep all vegetables and then preheat your oven to 400*.
• Bring water to a boil, add quinoa, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.  Turn the heat off and keep covered for 10 min then fluff with a fork.  
• While the quinoa is cooking, in a bowl toss oil with chickpeas, onion, shallots, shake of salt and black pepper.  Spread on a large baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment.  Roast 20 min.

• In a large bowl mix together the roasted veggie mixture, fluffed quinoa, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl whisk the egg and mix in the grated cheese.
• Pour the cheese + egg mixture into the quinoa mixture, mix, and spread in a 9x13 greased baking dish, then lightly pat down and top with a single layer of sliced tomatoes.  Squeeze as many tomatoes as you can on top because this component is what makes the dish special.

• Not all the tomatoes will fit, so put any extra slices on a separate baking sheet lined with a silpat.  Sprinkle these with the breadcrumb topping and reserve for leftovers.
• Bake the casserole uncovered for 20 min, until the top is starting to brown and tomatoes are just wilting.

• Set your oven to broil with a rack in the top position, sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the casserole, and broil for 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove and serve. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve each portion with 1 shallot and a tossed green salad.  Sliced pear goes well as a fruit accompaniment.  Makes 6 servings.