Broccoli, Chicken, & Quinoa Casserole

Can I share a little pet peeve I have with you? 

It really, really, REALLY drives me bonkers when I hear someone either imply or outright say that healthy food has a similar taste and texture to cardboard.  Seriously?!  Cardboard?!?

What happened to us??  Once upon a time we ate real, wholesome foods and enjoyed every last bite of it.  When did eating right for our bodies, making the right nutritional choices, become so bland and tasteless that now it's assumed that ALL healthy food is gross?  Some days it just makes me want to scream. 

Instead of screaming though, I just get reinvigorated to go to my kitchen, and pull together something that tastes totally decadent and wonderful, but is PACKED with as many healthy choices as I can figure out.  So when I find recipes like this, that have already done most of the work for me, I tend to do some serious happy dances, especially when they taste every bit as wonderful and "sinful" as I'd hoped!

So if you've ever mentally cringed at the idea of eating a healthy dinner, I DARE you to make this.  Make this, devour it, and then just try to tell me it even remotely resembles cardboard.

In fact, I triple-dog dare you!

Broccoli, Chicken, & Quinoa Casserole
Recipe adapted from Eating Well, Living Thin
Prep time: 10 minutes   Cook time: 40 minutes (60 if you need to cook the quinoa first)

To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 tsp salt

1 can (10ish oz) condensed cream of broccoli soup

1/3 cup mayo

2 tbsp milk

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Dash freshly grated nutmeg

2 cups cooked broccoli (preferably fresh and steamed)

2 to 2 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

1 1/2 cups  COOKED quinoa (see above)

Grated Parmesan cheese

1.  Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear.  In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible.  Fluff with a fork.

Similar to rice, but with more texture and a LOT more protein

2.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (9×9 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with cooking spray.

When you need fats, use the healthiest ones you can.

3.  In a medium bowl combine the soup, mayo, milk, yogurt, shredded cheese, sugar, pepper, and nutmeg until well mixed. Set aside.

Now, I ask, does this look healthy to you?  Looks like creamy, sinful goodness to me!

4.  In a large bowl, toss together the quinoa, shredded chicken, and broccoli.  Poor the cream sauce over top and stir to coat.

This looks good even unbaked.

5.  Spoon mixture into prepared casserole dish.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden.

A little Parm will make for a glorious, browned, cheesy crust.

Well?  What'd you think?  Creamy?  Cheesy?  Comforting?  Down-home deliciousness?  Yeah, probably doesn't even occur to you just how much protein you're eating between the quinoa, the chicken, the cheeses, and the yogurt.  Or all the fiber and nutrients from the broccoli.  Go ahead, have another helping!  It's good for you!!