Quinoa & Artichoke Bake
In today’s busy world, people are always on the lookout for convenient, easy-to-prepare meals that are both healthy and delicious. A cozy and comforting baked meal that includes quinoa, artichokes, and spinach can fit the bill perfectly.
While this does use a few pots and pans to prepare, you can prep some of the ingredients in advance or use store bought shortcuts to speed up the process if you desire.
Quinoa is the star of this dish, and for good reason. It’s a versatile grain that’s packed with protein, fiber, and essential amino acids. It’s also low in fat and gluten-free, making it a great option for people with dietary restrictions. The edges turn crispy in the oven, which give a very satisfying crunch when served immediately, but also develop a delicious nutty flavour as leftovers. This dish freezes and reheats well so is a perfect choice to make in advance.
Artichoke hearts are another key ingredient in this meal. We use water brined instead of oil packed to reduce the overall calorie content, but depending on your goals either option is fine. These vegetables are high in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants, and they also contain prebiotics, which help support gut health and improve digestion.
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Quinoa & Artichoke Bake
Add Dry Quinoa and Water to a medium sized saucepan. Cover & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for approx 12mins, then move off the heat to rest as you prepare the remaining ingredients. (Leave the lid on at this stage)
If using, brown the diced chicken with a dash of the oil and set aside. With the remaining oil, sautee the diced onion and garlic until softened. Wilt the spinach and combine.
Preheat Oven to 180oC. Then, in a large baking dish or lasagne pan, combine the onion, garlic, chicken (if using) and drained, diced artichoke hearts.
In a shaker, mix the cornstarch, almond milk and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper and add to the (now empty) frypan you cooked the vegetables in. Stir gently over low heat until the mixture has just thickened.
Fluff the reserved Quinoa with a fork and add this to the pan with your vegetables and the sauce we just made. Mix everything thoroughly & top with shredded Cheese.
Bake until the cheese is golden brown. Approx 40mins.
Ingredients
Directions
Add Dry Quinoa and Water to a medium sized saucepan. Cover & bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for approx 12mins, then move off the heat to rest as you prepare the remaining ingredients. (Leave the lid on at this stage)
If using, brown the diced chicken with a dash of the oil and set aside. With the remaining oil, sautee the diced onion and garlic until softened. Wilt the spinach and combine.
Preheat Oven to 180oC. Then, in a large baking dish or lasagne pan, combine the onion, garlic, chicken (if using) and drained, diced artichoke hearts.
In a shaker, mix the cornstarch, almond milk and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper and add to the (now empty) frypan you cooked the vegetables in. Stir gently over low heat until the mixture has just thickened.
Fluff the reserved Quinoa with a fork and add this to the pan with your vegetables and the sauce we just made. Mix everything thoroughly & top with shredded Cheese.
Bake until the cheese is golden brown. Approx 40mins.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Quinoa expands roughly 4x, so you will need roughly 6 cups cooked Quinoa or Quinoa & Rice Blend for this recipe.
Certainly – depending on how much more and what types of vegetable you add, you might also need to also increase the volume of sauce. Alternatively, you can serve this alongside a salad or alongside a vegetable main – like Roasted Cauliflower Steak or Grilled Tahini Pumpkin.
Key Ingredients
I can’t wait to try this! 😀