Pinterest Win: Bruschetta Quinoa Casserole

You know from last week that I am trying the whole Meatless Monday thing. No, I am not becoming a vegetarian. But I hear on The Chew that trying this out can save you $4,000 a year. That is over $300 a month, people! Now, if you are single like me and cooking for only one or two people then it probably isn't that much money. But saving money is saving money, I don't care how much it is. {PS: Yes, I know today is Tuesday. Like I said, yesterday was a recovery day. Quit judging me!}

My friend, Carrie, and I discussed over the weekend to start eating clean this week (after the Monday recovery day, of course). I am not really sure that she and I meant literally eating clean, but at least healthy. Either way, I found a clean recipe on Pinterest a couple months ago that I have been dying to try.

Not only do I like trying healthy dishes, which I inevitably make a little less healthy. (Dude, I am human...) I have been dying to try cooking quinoa. For some reason I have found it to be quite intimidating. The main ingredient of tonight's recipe is quinoa. There are so many health benefits for quinoa, but the one I care about most is the amount of protein it has. I am always trying to find different ways to incorporate protein to my diet. This might sound crazy, but sometimes I am just tired of eating meat. Yes, you read that right... I am a meatatarian, from Texas who just said she is sometimes tired of meat. I would agree that hell has frozen over but it is hotter than (enter explicit here) in Houston. So, that can't be true.

The recipe takes one of the ingredients I am scared of, quinoa, with one of my favorites: bruschetta. How could this go wrong??? Notice how I ask that question long after I made the dish. We both know that would have totally jinxed it. Speaking of the dish, let me get to it.

The Bruschetta Quinoa Casserole comes from a blog called The Iron You. It is written by a gentleman named Mike who is a triathlete and who likes to eat healthy. We obviously aren't dating. However, I am willing to try some other of his healthy recipes. I mean, if the picture of his Bruschetta Quinoa Casserole is any indication... I am eating his recipes all...the...time!

Photo from http://www.theironyou.com

This one is a bit more labor intensive than the last few, but don't let me saying that turn you off. The recipe is not difficult, and I promise that the end product is totally worth it. I swear to you, you must make it.

I followed this recipe pretty closely, except adding more cheese of course. I also added more red pepper flakes. I like things cheesy and spicy... kinda like me!

My version of this came out very well. So well that I ate about 3 portions, rather than one. I don't think this is what The Iron You guy meant when he called it healthy. Don't worry, I did leave some for leftovers for the rest of this week.

Sorry for the portion missing in the picture. It smelled so good that I got too excited to try it and forgot to take the picture first. Rookie move, but I am kinda a rookie so I say it's ok!

If you aren't ready to participate in Meatless Monday fully, try this as a side dish along some grilled chicken or maybe even shrimp. I even think adding mushrooms could make this a little "meatier".

Please visit my Clean Eating Pinterest board for the recipe. I promise you will not regret it! This is absolutely delish!