Baked Quinoa Ratatouille Recipes

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion over medium heat until bacon is crisp; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, oil, garlic, salt and Italian seasoning., Spread half into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Layer with half of the eggplant, zucchini, green pepper and cheese. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 50-55 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add garlic and onion.
• Saute until softened, about 5 minutes. (the onion starts to turn clear).
• Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme and parsley. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Layer half of the tomato and onion mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish (I sprayed mine with Pam first).
• Top with ALL of the uncooked vegetables.
• Add the remaining tomato and onion mixture and spread over the top.
• Spread the cooked Quinoa on top, then sprinkle with cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.
• Remove foil for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
• When I made this, my vegetables must have been larger than the recipe-writer's, as by the time I chopped up all those veggies, I had too many for my pan and ended up making 2 batches. I had to make a second full batch of the sauce to make 2 pans, so you might want to adjust.
• Also, the sauce seemed too scanty when I spread it in the pan, barely enough to very thinly 'cover' the vegetables, but there must be a lot of moisture in the vegetables because the sauce was a perfect proportion for us when it was cooked.
• Lastly - I goofed, never having cooked Quinoa before. My box said 1 cup Quinoa to 2 cups water - the recipe said 1 cup cooked Quinoa - but really my Quinoa made 3 cups once it was cooked. Since I made 2 pans of this recipe, it worked out okay, but you might want to double-check your Quinoa directions and proportions.
• One more thing - the recipe as written in the grocery store ad says 4 servings - we got probably closer to 8 to 10 servings of this. However, for my family, this would not be a 'main dish', but rather a yummy veggie 'side' to go with some type of meat because we're utter carnivores.
• I hope you enjoy this as much as our family did! It has loads of good-for-you stuff in it, it looks pretty and colorful and tastes like a 'fancy' dish while being actually quite easy. It is also vegitarian and gluten-free, which is cool for those folks who need that stuff.

Steps:

• 1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leak and bell pepper; cover, and cook 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir in quinoa, garlic, and sesame seeds, and cook, uncovered, 3 to 4 minutes, or until quinoa grains turn opaque.
• 2. Add 3 cups water, and season with the chicken granules. Taste for salt and add more granules or salt as desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 3 or 4 minutes more, or until most liquid has been absorbed. Remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes.
• 3. Preheat oven to 350°F Coat 13 X 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk together eggs and milk in large bowl. Fold in quinoa mixture and 80% of the cheese. Transfer to a prepared baking dish, level contents, and add remaining 20% of the cheese to the top, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until browned around the edges and top.
• 4. Jim's Additional Step: Once removed from the oven, sprinkle top with additional shredded cheese. Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the top and set on stove top for a few additional minutes. The goal is to allow the additional cheese to melt as a second layer of melted cheese on the top of the hot casserole. Don't worry, the casserole will retain all the heat required to melt the addition cheese - don't go wild here - just a nice additional thin melted topping. A little bright red paprika on this layer would also add some additional color. Enjoy!
• Suggest for a smaller serving that you just make ½ of everything and place in a small 7" X 9" pan. This is the perfect size for a smaller meal and will cut into very nice 4 piece serving pieces.
• We both loved this dish and will make it again.
• Recipe comes from Ralph's (Grocery Store) Optimum Wellness Magazine March/April 2009, page 10. Recipe has been modified as noted above.
• Quinoa has been grown for more than 5000 years...in the Andes Mountains of Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia, where it is a primary food source. "Quinoa is unique because it contains eight essential amino acids and is a complete protein in itself." A 2007 study at Osaka City University in Japan showed that quinoa is high in antioxidants, making it an exceptionally heart healthy snack. Try substituting quinoa in recipes that call for rice, couscous, or pasta.

Steps:

• Slice potatoes, zucchini and bell pepper 1/4 inch thick.
• Slice carrots, tomato and rutabaga 1/8 inch thick.
• Slice onion as thin as you can, maintaining shape.
• If you are using beef, cut into strips about 1-1 1/2 inch wide, about 2 inches long, and no thicker than 1/4 inch.
• The layering will go in two parts, so only use half the veggies at a time.
• Layer potato, carrot, onion, bell pepper.
• Then the rutabaga, pepper the rutabaga with about 1 tsp of the pepper.
• Then layer the zucchini, mushrooms, beef and tomato.
• Gently salt the tomato with 1/2 tsp salt.
• Repeat steps 6 to 9.
• In a separate medium saucepan gently heat the tomato sauce, water, bouillon, bay leaf, basil, onion powder, 1 tbsp pepper and garlic until it begins to boil.
• Turn it off and remove the bay leaf, don't burn your fingers!
• Gently pour over the veggies, distributing evenly.
• Cover and bake 1 hour 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.
• After 45 minutes lift lid and gently push down with back of spoon. Replace lid and continue baking.
• To test for done-ness insert butter knife in center, you should meet very little resistance. If you feel it is not done, bake another 15 minutes.
• Spoon out into bowls and enjoy!