Green Chile Enchilada Quinoa Bake

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 cups packed fresh spinach leaves
Juice of 1 small lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
2 (10 oz) cans green chile enchilada sauce
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt)
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
1 (15 oz) can white beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups shredded Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack Cheese
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 avocado, diced, for garnish, if desired
Extra chopped cilantro, for garnish, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Cover quinoa and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and cook for about 5 minutes, our until spinach shrinks down. It will shrink down a lot. Add the lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro. Stir to combine.

4. In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa. Add the enchilada sauce, sour cream, diced green chiles, spinach and white beans. Gently stir until combined. Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.

5.Pour the quinoa mixture into the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining shredded cheese. Cover the pan with foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove foil. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and edges are bubbling. Remove from the oven, and let cool for 10 minutes. Garnish with avocado and cilantro, if desired. Serve warm.

Note-this recipe freezes well! My sister Melissa turned me on to this recipe from Pinterest. It's definitely not pretty, but really tastes good!