Mexican Quinoa Casserole

 Mexican Quinoa Casserole. I should just stop there. 

Until today, quinoa was a pretty foreign concept to me. Sure, I'd seen it on food blogs and in the pages of magazines, but I'd never actually seen it cooked in person, much less made it myself. This week was going to be all about new recipes and I knew I wanted to tackle this one. Adapted from this recipe, here's my twist... 

Mixture of black beans, Rotel tomatoes, and zucchini.

Corn and chicken added

Layer in a pan

With some avocado and cilantro (grown in my backyard!) added at the end

Mexican Quinoa Casserole

1 cup quinoa (uncooked)

4 teaspoons Taco Seasoning, divided use

1 can Rotel Tomatoes

1 can black beans

1 medium sauteed zucchini

1 cup frozen corn, warmed

2 cups cooked chicken breast

1 lime, juiced

Salt and pepper

1 cup Mexican Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook 1 cup quinoa according to package directions. A few minutes before done, add 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning. In the meantime,  cook zucchini in a pan, warm corn, and cook chicken. In a bowl, combine all veggies, lime juice, and taco seasoning. Once quinoa is done, get a 2 quart (or larger) dish and cover bottom with a layer of quinoa. Top with a layer of veggies, then a layer of cheese, repeat until all ingredients have been used, ending with a layer of quinoa and then cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbling and cheese is browned. Serve with avocado and cilantro on the side.