5 Things To Do With Quinoa (2)

Yum, yum, yum....Here we are again talking about the wonderful, versatile, and yet simple quinoa! Today I have your second recipe for you. I think you will truly enjoy this one.

Are you following a Paleo diet right now? Do you love Italian cooking? Did you think you'd never have Italian again? I'm here to debunk that myth with a little twist from quinoa.

Whether you are eating Paleo or vegan this recipe will suit you. Outside of a salad those two eating types do not usually coincide. This recipe will allow you to bring all of your friends to the table for the main dish. Just make some grass fed meatballs on the side for the Paleo lovers :)

This is my version of lasagna. Yes, that's right, lasagna. No, it won't be your traditional with lots of cheese, although if you are not a strict Paleo follower you could totally throw cheese in this dish as well as if you are a Lacto-vegetarian. If you do that though, you might not stop eating...that's really tasty!

Quinoa Lasagna

Tip: If you know when you are going to make this, you could could your quinoa a day or two in advance to save time. Depending on the sized dish you use will dictate how much quinoa you need to cook as well as veggies. You can always lessen this amount. I'm using a 9x12 dish, so consider your dish size. In fact your veggies can be cooked a day before as well.

Here is a link on how to cook quinoa.

Ingredients:

• 8 C Quinoa, cooked (you will be layering with this hence why you need so much, so cook about 4 cups of dry quinoa)

• 64oz Favorite Tomato Sauce, yours or someone else's (about 2 jars, maybe get 1 more just in case you like more sauce)

• 2/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast

• 1 Small Eggplant, chopped

• 1-2 Onions, chopped

• 4 Fresh Garlic Cloves, minced

• 2-3 Zucchini

• 1/3 Cup Coconut Aminos or Tamari

• 2-3 Tsp Garlic Powder

• 3 Tbsp Organic Unrefined Coconut Oil

*Note: Paleo or Ovo-Vegetarians, adding two eggs mixed into the quinoa with the sauce will yield a firmer consistency out of the oven.

Directions:

• Cook your quinoa in a huge pot, 2 if you need to do so.

• While quinoa is cooking, chop your veggies. I always leave my eggplant skin on, but feel free to remove it. 

• Chop the into small to medium sized pieces.The veggies are like your filling.

• Sauté veggies till nice and soft in the coconut oil. Add more oil if needed. Add the garlic powder. When the veggies seem soft enough add the coconut aminos. This will flavor them nicely.

• Mix the nutritional yeast with your sauce in a bowl really well. I don't heat my sauce first, you can, but there's really no need. 

• Once your quinoa is ready mix about 1 C of sauce with about 2 1/2 C of quinoa. (You can potentially mix all of the quinoa and sauce together now to save time or you can mix as you go. If you find you don't need as much quinoa to cover the bottom of your dish, you will have plain leftovers to do with what you wish. If you happen to have leftovers mixed with the sauce you can easily throw that into a pan with a little extra sauce if needed and veggies or organic chicken for another meal.)

• Spread this on the dish fairly flat.

• Spread a layer of veggies on top of the quinoa.

• Repeat on top of the veggies with a layer of quinoa. 

• Repeat on top of quinoa with a layer of veggies.

• Repeat once more on top of veggies with a layer of quinoa. With this final layer of quinoa feel free to add some more sauce to spread on top.

*Option: Sprinkle Vegan Parmesan cheese on top, see how to make it here!

Cook Time

Bake your lasagna on 350 F for 30-35 minutes. I don't ever cover anything, because I don't use tin foil due to the aluminum. You can totally cover this if you want to though.

Hope you enjoy it! Be healthy, be blessed, and be a good steward!