Quinoa Gratin
By: Lauren Gibon
Published: Saturday, January 31, 2015 - 5:39am

Ingredients




1 1/2 cups dry quinoa, rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups butternut squash or yams, cubed into 3/4′′ pieces 1 onion, diced
1 bunch of spinach, washed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
8 oz button or cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 eggs
3/4 cup grated white cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated gruyere or swiss cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp pepper, divided

Preparation

1 Preheat oven to 425°F. 2 Toss yams or squash in 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, cayenne and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Roast on a parchment lined cookie sheet in oven for 15-20 minutes or until a knife is easily inserted.  Set aside.  Reduce temperature of oven to 375°F. 3 In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Add quinoa, stir once and cover.  Reduce heat and simmer for 12-15 minutes.  Set aside. 4 In large fry pan or dutch oven, sauté onions in remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil until translucent.  Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté until onions are just starting to caramelize and mushrooms just starting to brown. 5 Add spinach to mixture and stir until just wilted.  Remove from heat. 6 In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, parsley, sage, oregano, thyme, and remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. 7 Add cooked quinoa, roasted yams or squash and sautéed vegetable mixture.  Stir to combine. 8 Stir in cheddar and 1/2 cup of gruyere or swiss cheese. 9 Divide mixture amongst 2 pie plates sprayed lightly with oil and smooth the tops with a spatula.  As an alternative, you could put the entire mixture in a casserole or baking dish. 10 Top mixture with sliced tomatoes, parmesan cheese and remaining 1/4 cup gruyere or swiss.  Season lightly with salt and pepper. 11 Bake gratins for 20-25 minutes, or until egg is cooked through and cheese just starting to brown.  I sometimes broil the dish for the last 2 minutes to enhance the browning on the cheese (if you do this, watch it closely!). 12 Serve in wedges with a green salad.

About

This healthy vegetarian dish is loaded with flavor and nutrients.  Delicious the  next for lunch, and freezes well.  Pair with a green salad and serve at your next dinner party.