Caprese Turkey Quinoa Casserole

When building the perfect plate, time is always a factor I struggle with.  Life is busy, so convenience is key for me.  So when I find a recipe that can not only be thrown together quickly but also provide me proteins, veggies and complex carbs all in one meal, I give it a try.  This recipe was tested and loved by my entire family (win!).  I have to thank Andi Gleeson from the WearyChef, for creating this delicious dish. The only thing I did differently was to use Daiya cheese which is plant-based.  Don’t freak out, it is dairy free, soy free and gluten free.  And coming from a cheese lover, it is a wonderful substitute.  I thought for sure this cheese was going to taste like cardboard, but I was wrong. It was a great compliment to the dish.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 16 oz. ground turkey
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• red pepper flakes, to taste, optional
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 8 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/4 c. white wine, you can substitute chicken broth
• 2 c. cooked quinoa
• 1/2 c. grated parmesan, divided
• 8 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced or cubed (I used the Daiya cheese)
• 4 Roma tomatoes, sliced
• handful basil leaves, sliced thin or minced (I used freeze-dried basil this time)

Instructions:

If you don’t have leftover quinoa, cook 3/4 c. dry quinoa with 1 1/2 c. water according to package directions. Continue with the rest of the recipe while this cooks. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onion, salt, and red pepper flakes. Sauté and crumble meat until turkey is cooked through. Add garlic, spinach, and wine or broth. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Stir in cooked quinoa and 1/4 c. parmesan. Reduce heat to medium and cook until heated through. Transfer quinoa mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange slices or cubes of mozzarella over the top, and place tomato slices in an even layer over the cheese. Sprinkle basil over the tomatoes. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over the tomatoes, and sprinkle remaining 1/4 c. parmesan over the top. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and tomatoes are thoroughly cooked.