Quinoa Amaranth Crust Veggie Pie

Sometimes you really need a one pot meal. None of that making more dirty dishes because you need two vegetable side dishes. Just one single thing to focus on. But part of the problem with typical one pot meals is they are so boring (and sometimes horribly unhealthy). No one likes six kinds of beige wrapped in a cheese sauce on a spring day. So in an effort to clean out my fridge and freezer to make space for our bountiful CSA that starts in May, I whipped up a one pot vegetarian dish. It has protein (chickpeas) and several veggies in addition to two really cool ancient grains: amaranth and quinoa. 

Quinoa is nothing new, and it's certainly well traveled on Healthfully Ever After. But amaranth.....I'm so meh about that gloopy grain. I don't do gloopy unless we're talking oatmeal or grits. But it was in the freezer after a recipe testing project and I needed a solution, which is why it became coupled with fluffy quinoa and turned into a crusty top to a casserole. 

Quinoa Amaranth Crusted Veggie Casserole

Makes a 9x9 dish

/// Ingredients ///

For the crust: adapted from Clean Start by Terry Walters

• 3/4 C mixed quinoa and amaranth
• 2 C veggie or chicken stock
• parsley
• olive oil

For the filling:

• 1 T butter,

• 1 C mushrooms, chopped

• 1/2 white onion, diced

• 2 cloves garlic

• 3 sprigs thyme

• 1 carrot (maroon pictured, regular is fine)

• 1/2 c green beans, cut into pieces

• 1 C chick peas, drained and rinsed

• 4 dashes liquid smoke

• salt and pepper 

/// Directions /// To make the crust rinse quinoa and amaranth. Put in a lidded pot with stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce and cook for roughly 15 minutes or until the grain is fluffy and the liquid is gone. Set aside.

To make the filling add butter, onion, garlic, mushrooms and thyme to a pot. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and cover on low for 5 minutes. Remove lid, stir and add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes.  Pour into casserole dish and top evenly with the grain. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 F until the top is golden and crisp. Before serving, top with chopped parsley. 

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