Cheesy Quinoa Pasta Bake

~ I love Quinoa!  A couple of years ago due to food allergies, I tried to go on a gluten-free diet.  While I did feel better on that diet, it just didn't make sense to me.  Why would God give us wheat and then allow us to become allergic to it?  I have really wrestled with that question and I have prayed for the answer to my food allergies, against the better judgement of family members who thought that I should jump off the wheat wagon and quit gluten-containing grains cold turkey.  NOT!  I'm too stubborn for that and if it doesn't make any sense to me then I feel compelled to search until I can search no more for an answer that does make sense.

So, in the process of all this searching and trying gluten-free food, I came across this wonderful thing called Quinoa.  I like it so much better that regular wheat pasta.  Wheat pasta can leave me feeling overly full and sluggish but Quinoa leaves me with none of this, and it tastes GREAT!  I use it all the time in my favorite Italian recipes, for pasta salads and even for macaroni salad.  While I do not adhere to a gluten-free diet, I still enjoy this pasta over regular wheat pasta.  No one is ever the wiser either.  It is nearly impossible to tell the difference.

Here is a recipe with a picture tutorial of my Cheesy Quinoa Pasta Bake.  A lot like lasagna and so, so good!

Recipe:

2 lbs. Italian sausage, casings removed (I use Bob Evans Italian Sausage)

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 14 oz. jar pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce

1 Tbs. garlic powder (yes, that is a "tablespoon")

2 Tbs. Italian seasoning

1/8 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 boxes Quinoa Shell Pasta 

1 30 oz. container Ricotta cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 egg

4 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

Fry ground beef and sausage in a stock pot until no longer pink. 

To the ground beef add the crushed tomatoes, pizza sauce, enough water to clean out the pizza sauce jar, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, pepper and salt. Stir until combined.  Let simmer.

While sauce is simmering.  Cook pasta according to package directions.  Follow this instructions closely so that the pasta does not get thick and sticky.

It should look like this! 

While the pasta is cooking, mix together the ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese and egg.  Mine was rather thick so I added enough Kefir to make is spreadable.  You could also use milk, but right now I'm having a love affair with Kefir so it just sounded good.  (That's a whole other post at a later date!)

Once you have all your ingredients mixed up, it is time to start layering.  I layer this just like I do lasagna.  I put it in a deep casserole dish but the dish doesn't tell me what size it is so, be your own judge on that one!

Place one third of the meat mixture in the bottom of the casserole dish.

Next, place half of the quinoa pasta on top of the sauce.

Followed by another layer of sauce.

And then a layer of the Ricotta cheese mixture.  I dollop this on so it is easier to spread.

Top the Ricotta mixture with 2 cups of shredded Mozzarella cheese.

Repeat this process once more ending with a layer of mozzarella cheese on top.  Sprinkle cheese with a little Italian seasoning and pepper and bake at 350° F until bubbly.

And Wallah!  I served mine with a simple green salad with my favorite homemade Kefir "Ranch" dressing.

                                                                             ENJOY!