As I write this post sitting on my deck, swatting the flies and enjoying my moms ice cream cold coffee creation I can't help but think about what my summer would be like if I wasn't at home. But nevertheless, I am thankful for being able to enjoy time with my family and home friends before running back to the hustle and bustle of school. As crazy as it sounds, I have been home for 2 months already and I still have another month and a half to go before returning back to Happy Valley...and I am 100% okay with spending each and everyday in suburban town that I have grown up in. Recently, my mom and I have decided on trying new things and making my dad the guinea pig. Our most recent adventure was the inspiration for this post: southwestern quinoa. This recipe hid the secret ingredient, which I hope you were able to guess by now in a way that made my entire family emjoy taking this risk. This
yummy casserole not only encompasses things that are common to southwest flavors like beans and onions, but asks you to throw in some cumin and cayenne to take it to another level. Take a chance with this safe but risky dish because I promise - you will not be disappointed.
- 1,5 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 onion, minced
- 1 jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, minced
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2½ cups cooked black beans, rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 cups cooked quinoa
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 bell peppers, diced (mine were red and yellow)
- 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese
Follow the procedure on the quinoa, it may seem a little confusing but just try and play along
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| see how fluffy they got? just like rice! |
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| dem beanies! |
Keep a little bit of water handy in case you realize you need to add - its going to take about 15-17 minutes for the quinoa to get where its supposed to be but in the mean time... cut up your peppers and onions and garlic. In a small pot throw in your garlic, and onions and get that aroma filling your kitchen. Then add in your beans and veggie broth and let them soak up and boil down until you have a very small amount of liquid left. In another DRY pan throw in your peppers - you are going to dry roast them. Just put them all in there once the pan is about medium-high heat hot and let them sit for about 3 minutes and then give them a quick toss and let them sit for another 2 minutes or so. Once the quinoa has cooked you want to do the same thing to them in a different pan - that will be a little harder and take a little longer as the quinoa was previously wet. While you do this, add in your spices - salt, cumin, chilli powder and cayenne pepper. Toast them all in and make sure everything is well mixed.
In a preheated oven at 375F, foil the dish for the first 20 minutes and then take the foil off and leave it in there 10 more minutes. Serve HOT with chips, tacos, anything you'd like! :)
