Quinoa and Chix Kickasserole

Today, besides thesis work and figuring out my operations here (laundry, organizing my food in the pantry and freezer), I made a big entrée to portion out and freeze for munching throughout the year.  I ate some soup on Thursday that I made in May, hence why I say that I will eat frozen entrees throughout the year.

Confession: I have eaten pepperjack Daiya vegan cheeze as part of three out of four meals in twenty-four hours.  It’s good stuff.

Quinoa and Chix Kickasserole

Modified from Rosensweig, Linda.  “Cheesy Chick-pea and Quinoa Bake,” in New Vegetarian Cuisine: 250 Low-Fat Recipes for Superior Health.  Emmaus: Rodale Books, 1994. 101.

½ tablespoon Earth Balance Organic Coconut Spread (or margarine, coconut oil, cooking oil of any type)

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, diced or pressed

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 small summer squash, chopped into 1” quarters

1 head broccoli, chopped

1 16-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

2 cups quinoa, rinsed

4 cups water

1 cup pepperjack Daiya vegan cheeze

¼ cup hempseeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a 9*13” glass or ceramic baking dish.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the coconut spread or heat the oil of your choice.  Add the onion and sauté until it begins to turn translucent, about four minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for a minute.  Clear a space in the middle of the pan and toast the spices for a minute before stirring in.  Add the chopped vegetables, stir around, and turn up the heat to medium high.  Cook until the squash just begins to turn translucent.

Pour the rinsed chickpeas and quinoa into the baking dish and add the water.  Pile in the sautéed mixture.  Fold in the cheeze (it will melt and that’s what it should do).  Bake, covered, for 45 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed.  Remove from the oven, uncover, sprinkle on the hempseeds (and add a little water if there’s a large quantity of uncooked quinoa and not enough water yet).  Return to the oven to bake for 15-20 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed.  Serves 6ish.

I piled mine on top of a bunch of end-of-the-bag spinach.