This Mexican Quinoa Bake is the Perfect Make Ahead Healthy Lunch

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LeakProofStorage #CollectiveBiasDo you prep your meals for the week? When I’m most organized, I use my Sunday afternoons to make meals I can take with me to work for the week.  Some of my favorite take-to-work meals include vegetarian frittata, lasagna roll-ups, and my new favorite is this vegetarian Mexican quinoa bake. All of these meals provide excellent protein sources and help me get more veggies into my day.  Plus, they travel and reheat really well for work-week lunches.I’ve made versions of a quinoa bake before, but this was the first time I tried making a Mexican quinoa bake. I chose to keep it vegetarian, but you could easily add chicken, steak or pork to this dish if you love meat. You could also add different types of veggies, like squash, mushrooms, or jalapenos for a different taste.I’m really pleased with how this dish turned out. I was slightly worried the Mexican quinoa bake wouldn’t hold together, but the cheese on top helped to keep it all together in a nice, hearty piece. If you haven’t tried or don’t eat quinoa, you should swap it in for the rice or pasta you usually eat. It has a lot more protein, so it’s more filling and better for you.I brought a piece of this Mexican quinoa bake for lunch at work today and it is the perfect take-to-work meal. I’m loving that this dish is filling, packed with veggies and protein, and healthy.

Rubbermaid Brilliance containers make it super easy to bring this Mexican quinoa bake to work with me. Brilliance containers are 100% guaranteed leak-proof with an airtight seal. They are also stain and odor resistant, as the only resin containers made of Tritan that stack perfectly.The Brilliance containers also work great in the microwave because they have built-in vents for easy splatter-resistant microwaving. Between 11/6 – 11/12/16, you can get 10% off medium-sized Rubbermaid Brilliance Food Storage Containers with Target’s Cartwheel Offer. I hope you’ll try out this dish and let me know what you think. I’d love to hear how you adapt it to make it your own!

Vegetarian Mexican Quinoa Bake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
14.5 oz, can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
15 oz. can corn, drained and rinsed
1 onion
3 bell peppers, I used red, yellow and green
1 bunch of kale, chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
16 oz Monterrey jack cheese, shredded
Serve with Lime Wedges and Cilantro (optional)

Directions:

First, preheat the oven to 375. Prepare a 9×13 pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

Then, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the kale and saute until wilted.

Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, and cumin; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Then, bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add in the cilantro and stir.

Next, add the quinoa mix to the prepared 9×13 pan. Top with the grated Monterrey jack cheese and bake for 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and brown on top. Finally, remove from the oven and let cool, slightly, until the cheese is congealed. If you like, you can serve it with fresh cilantro and lime juice.