Quinoa Casserole

   I was looking to switch things up a bit for lunch this week.  I decided on a quinoa casserole.  When I searched for recipes I chose this recipe, from a blog called Bake Space.  It had cottage cheese listed as an ingredient and after my success last week with the cottage cheese in my baked macaroni and cheese, I figured it was worth a shot.


Quinoa and Spinach Bake

Ingredients
1 large bag of baby spinach
2 tsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup zucchini, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
2 cups quinoa, cooked according to package (1 cup uncooked)
1 cup cottage cheese
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large eggs, beaten slightly
cooking spray and bread crumbs for the pan

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Coat an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray and coat with breadcrumbs.
2. Heat the oil on medium in a skillet.  Saute the mushrooms, onions, zucchini, garlic, thyme, and rosemary for about 8 minutes.
3. Transfer to a large bowl.  Combine with quinoa, spinach, eggs, cottage cheese, and pepper.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.  Bake for 60-70 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
5. Slice and serve warm.

The Taste Test
This recipe also called for red pepper flakes.  I wasn't in the mood for spicy, but the dish was a bit bland.  The original recipe also suggested topping the finished dish with sour cream and hot sauce, not two of my favorite ingredients.  I ended up adding a pinch parmesan cheese and that was just enough to add the bit of extra flavor I needed.  Another simple yet filling meal.