Quinoa Casserole

This dish is inspired from rice and beans casseroles. It is hardy, filling, easy to prepare, and lasts for a couple of days as a quick meal that requires just reheating. The Italian spices and sauce give this dish a robust flavor. Plus, anything with a crispy breaded topping is good all by itself.

Ingredients (6 servings):

1. 2 cups uncooked quinoa
2. 1 onion, sliced
3. 2 cups green beans, cut into long stips
4. 2 cups corn
5. 2 pods of garlic, chopped
6. 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
7. 2.5 cups Marinara sauce / pasta sauce of your choice
8. 1.5 cups grated cheese of your choice (I used white cheddar)
9. 2 tablespoons basil paste/pesto/ or just basil leaves
10. 1.5 teaspoons salt or as needed (depending on how much salt the sauce has)
11. 1 teaspoon pepper
12. 1 cup bread crumbs
13. 2 tablespoons olive oil + a few teaspoons to grease the baking dish and top the casserole

Preparation:

1. Cook quinoa with 2 cups of water and a little drizzle of olive oil. 
2. As the quinoa is cooking, heat oil in a pan. When hot, add onion and Italian seasoning and saute on medium heat until slightly browned. Add garlic and fry for a  minute. 
3. Add beans and some of the salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add corn and continue to cook until beans are almost done.
4. Add the vegetable mixture to the cooked quinoa and stir well. Add the sauce, 1/2 of the cheese, basil paste/pesto/basil leaves, remaining salt and pepper and mix well. 
5. Transfer this to a 9 by 13 inch baking dish sprayed/coated with a little oil. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs and spread on top of the casserole. Drizzle a little olive oil on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 40 minutes or until the edges and top are bubbly, crisp and slightly browned.

Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.