When you’re craving Mexican food, you need bold, zesty flavor. But you don’t need all the carbs and calories that usually come along with cheese- and salsa-covered tortillas. Since dishes like enchiladas are hard to resist, you need a tangy version that still does your body good. Simply use lean ground beef, quinoa and protein powder in your next homemade enchilada and you’ve got a healthy dish overflowing with savory flavor.
Quinoa Enchilada Casserole with Beef
Ingredients
3 scoops Quest Multipurpose Protein Powder
1 lb. 95% or higher lean ground beef
15 oz. can black beans, drained
¾ cup quinoa
4 oz. diced green chilies
1 Tbsp. chopped, jarred garlic
Heavy dash chili powder
1 yellow onion, diced
20 oz. Green Chili Enchilada Sauce
7 oz. 2% Fage yogurt
2 cups water
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. LB Jamison’s Chicken Base or 2 bouillon cubes
Toppings
¼ cup low-fat cheddar cheese
1 medium Roma tomato, diced and drained on paper towel for as long as possible
1 small avocado, diced
Salsa
Sour cream
Cilantro
Directions
- Grease a cake pan.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil and sauté garlic, onion and chili powder. Add beef and cook thoroughly. Drain.
- Add black beans, quinoa, green chilies, enchilada sauce, water and chicken base. Simmer and cook, stirring continuously, until chicken base dissolves.
- Cover and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes, until quinoa is cooked.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in protein powder. Let mixture thicken and cool. Mix in yogurt.
- Pour mixture into prepared cake pan and cover with foil. Let mixture set in fridge for several hours or up to overnight to thicken.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Remove pan from fridge and bake for 30 minutes. Remove casserole and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Place back in oven for a few minutes, until cheese is melted.
- Remove and top with remaining toppings.