By Kathryn Reed

For some reason I had not thought of putting quinoa in enchiladas. Thank goodness Denise enlightened me.

And these were no ordinary enchiladas. For one, they weren’t wrapped in tortillas and then they weren’t baked.

The concoction was cooked in a slow cooker. Crockpots are such great alternatives because they allow for cooking to go on all day and you don’t have to be in the kitchen for hours right before your guests arrive. Plus, it makes the house smell so good.

Denise served tortillas on the side so the mixture could be wrapped in it. That was great. It was also so yummy on its own.

I will be serving this to others in the future.  

Quinoa Enchilada Bake

1¼ C yellow onion, chopped

1¼ C red bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ C dry quinoa

2¼ C vegetable broth

14.5 ounce can tomatoes with green chilies, undrained

8 ounce can tomato sauce

2 T chili powder

1½ tsp ground cumin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

14.5 ounce can black beans, drained

14.5 ounce can pinto beans, drained

1½ C frozen corn

1½ C cheddar or Monterey jack, or Mexican blend cheese

Avocado, diced

Fresh tomato, diced

Cilantro, chopped

Tortillas, optional

Add all ingredients through the corn to a crockpot. Cook at least three hours. Ten to 15 minutes before ready to serve add the cheese. Serve when melted.

Place avocado, tomato and cilantro in individual bowls and let people serve themselves.