When I decided to adopt a more plant-based diet, the very first cookbook I bought was Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton. You can easily tell that I adore this book because I have probably made every recipe at least once (and many dozens of times) and my copy is completely dog eared and covered in food stains. I highly recommend it and Dreena’s other books because it she is not only a fantastic chef but also the mother of three young children so she offers up a bounty of food you can make at home that is both yummy and family friendly.

This casserole is a particular favourite because it is hearty, delicious, easy to make and is perfect for my cleanse. It really packs a punch nutritionally with the combination of quinoa, veggies, nuts and fresh basil and it’s a great filling dinner for the whole family. Well the whole family minus the toddler who quickly told me he “hates this supper!” Don’t listen to him though – he hates most things these days. Give this one a try and I’m willing to bet you’ll love it. You can also serve it cold as a salad over greens, in a wrap with hummus or quickly fry up the leftovers in a bit of olive oil for different variations.

And hold on just a minute before you delete this because of the long list of ingredients (yes I’m talking to you Jessica and Nancy ; ) It’s actually super easy because you just pop almost everything in a casserole dish and slide it into the oven to bake. You can do it girls!

Colourful Quinoa Casserole (adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton)

1 1/4 cups uncooked quinoa (rinsed and drained 3 times)
1 cup vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 15 oz can of mixed beans (rinsed and drained)
1 1/2 cups fennel bulb, julienned
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup of thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp allspice
1 dried bay leaf
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup pine nuts (toasted – I just toast them in a small saucepan over med heat until lightly browned)
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (for finishing)

Preheat oven to 400. Oil a deep casserole dish with olive oil. Combine all ingredients (except for pine nuts, fresh basil, lemon juice and olive oil for finishing) and stir to mix well. Cover and bake for an hour, stirring occasionally, until quinoa is cooked and has absorbed all liquid. Remove from oven and stir in lemon juice, basil and pine nuts. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. To serve, drizzle with olive oil. Enjoy!

*I also have to add a “Woohoo” moment from last week. Kathy Freston – author of Quantum Wellness and the creator of the cleanse I am currently doing- sent out a tweet about me! What a thrill to get a shout out from one of my mentors. Thanks Kathy!