Baked Kale and Quinoa Mac ‘n Cheese

You’ll fall in love with this recipe!! It’s absolutely delicious, the perfect comfort food.

This dish is very similar to traditional baked macaroni and cheese only lighter and slightly healthier (at least I tell myself it is, hehe). In this version I used kale, but you can use spinach instead. I’ve used spinach before and it’s just as good!! It also makes great leftovers!

So here are the Ingredients you’ll need to get started…..

3 tbs Butter

3 tbs Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

2-3 Cloves of garlic

1 tbs Paprika

1 tbs Crushed red pepper

2 Cups cheese of your choice. I chose Cheddar.

2 Cups of milk…I use about a 1/4 cup more for a creamier texture.

3 Cups of Cooked Quinoa

1 Bunch of Kale or Spinach

Panko Bread Crumbs for topping

**Preheat oven to 350°

After you’ve gathered the above ingredients you first need to cook the quinoa, it you haven’t already. Follow the instructions on the package and remember that 1 cup uncooked quinoa equals about 2 cups cooked.

Next make the cheese sauce/base. Melt the butter in a sauce pan, add the garlic, then whisk in the flour. Whisk until you get a smooth paste. Then pour in milk, slowly and about 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously for 5-7 minutes. Add spices: salt, crushed red pepper, paprika, and any thing else you might like!

You should have semi-thick sauce by now, so it’s time to add the cheese!! Only about 3/4 of the cheese though, the rest is for the top. Once the cheese has melted, you can remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl combine cooked quinoa, cheese sauce, and 1 bunch kale (torn into pieces). Be sure to only use the leafy parts and that the kale is torn into bite size pieces. Mix well.

Now get a cake pan, mine was about 9×13. But pretty much any size or shape that will fit the ingredients nice and evenly. Make sure to grease the pan!!

Next pour the combined ingredients into the pan. Top with the remaining cheese and a very thin layer of panko bread crumbs.

Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly.

Now most importantly, grab a cold beverage of choice, sit back, relax, and enjoy this delicious meal!!