Held together by a delicious, feta/mozzarella/parmesan cheese mix and baked Panko breadcrumbs, this Pinterest recipe from two peas & a pod is a MUST for your weekly lunch or dinners.
I’ll never forget when my 10+ roommates/best friends in the Hollywoods DEVOURED this dish using anything they could find: plastic cups, shot glasses, spoons, and forks! Tonight, my DC roomie Jess also gave a similar reaction since we easily ate 8+ spoonfuls each.
THEN, Jess and I made this….Ladies and Gentleman, the Froyo Gods have answered us. Yonanas is your go-to HOMEMADE FROYO MACHINE (or as they like to say “Healthy Dessert Maker”). That beauty up there is a frozen strawberry and pineapple dessert with just a little bit of sugar.
Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa Bake
Serves 8-10
Get the Goods
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 3 cups water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 9 oz fresh spinach leaves
- 2 cups chopped artichoke hearts (canned and drained works too)
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 3 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup feta cheese
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the Parmesan Panko Topping
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Just a Few Steps (okay, more than a few this time. BUT WORTH IT!)
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, fluff with a fork, and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook until it shrinks down, about 3 minutes. Stir in the artichoke hearts. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Turn off the heat and set aside.
4. In a medium saucepan add 3 tablespoons of butter and flour over medium heat. Whisk continuously until a paste forms. Whisk in milk. Increase heat to medium-high heat bring to a boil while whisking the entire time. Stir in cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with feta cheese.
5. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, spinach and artichoke mixture, and cheese sauce. Stir well. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Top with feta cheese.
6. To make the topping, combine melted butter, Panko bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the quinoa bake. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil from pan. Cook for another 15-20 minutes, or until the quinoa bake is golden brown and slightly bubbling. Serve warm.
PHEW! I know, you're exhausted just reading this. Your hard work will be worth it when you have leftovers for days and co-workers who will forever envy your cooking skills.