Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Do you ever have those days where you wake up and realize your day is going to be so busy that you already know you won't want to cook dinner? Well, we did the other day. We knew we were going to be gone all day exploring some new to us places in San Francisco that we knew we didn't really want to come home and cook. Our solution? This recipe right here. While Kev cooked the quinoa, I got everything else ready in a big bowl and we had it ready in no time. After everything was mixed, we just put it in the pan (omitting the cheese on top) with some foil and stored in the refrigerator until we were ready to cook. Once we were ready to cook, we put it in without the cheese for about 5 minutes since we were starting from a colder state than it would normally be in if you did it from beginning to end in one shot. It ended up turning out amazing! The only thing I would change (which is my personal preference, but feel free to try) is subtracting the cilantro (yuck) and doubling the green chilies (yum). It is such an easy, healthy take on Mexican food that you can't not try it! Enjoy!

Quinoa Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa
1 (10-ounce) can mild enchilada sauce
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (I opted out)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Optional
1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
1 Roma tomato, diced

In a large saucepan of 2 cups water, cook quinoa according to package instructions; set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil an 8x8 or 2 quart baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, enchilada sauce, green chiles, corn, black beans, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese.

Spread quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheeses. Place into oven and bake until bubbly and cheeses have melted, about 15 minutes.

Serve immediately, garnished with avocado and tomato, if desired.