Pinterest Win: Lazy Sunday Casserole

Has it really been two weeks!?! I have been hanging on to a couple recipes, and keep telling myself that "I'll blog about them tomorrow." Well, obviously after 14 days it is about time I blog about this food!

I really like casseroles. I think they are yummy and love that they are so easy to make. I pinned this recipe in 2012, one because it's an easy casserole and two because of the name: Lazy Sunday Casserole. I heart lazy Sunday's so this recipe makes total sense, at least on the name alone it does.

The Lazy Sunday Casserole comes from a blog called Kayotic Kitchen. Kayotic is a fun word play on the blogger's name: Kay. Sorta like the title of my blog. This all makes total sense to me. Plus, the pic just looks mouth-watering.

I am not sure how anyone can screw up this recipe. Granted, I can screw up queso so I shouldn't really talk, but anyway. This recipe rocks. It's basically baked sausage and vegetables. Throw them into a pan and let them bake. Hello.... AWESOME!

Kayotic Kitchen calls for fennel, and for the life of me and after three grocery stores I just couldn't find it. I totally skipped it and don't think it affected the flavor of this meal at all. Instead of grating the garlic, I finely chopped fresh garlic. I also used Andouille sausage because I like a little spice in my meals. Kinda like my men...

Not only is this meal great the day you make it, but it is really good throughout the week. C'mon, you all know I like leftovers and this meal is great for leftovers. It kept for a week in my fridge and served as a couple lunches and dinners.

I don't have human children, but I do have an ornery four-legged daughter so I understand that the less time spent in the kitchen the better. But you also want something healthy and great tasting. This is truly a meal everyone will love. I highly recommend this recipe, and think you can have some fun with the vegetables you use in the dish.

Have fun with this, and enjoy your lazy Sunday!

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!