We are currently experiencing a health movement around the world. No, this does not mean people are eating less or not eating their favorite meals. This movement stems from the need to consume clean foods. By clean foods I mean non-processed, homemade from scratch, using fresh ingredients, and knowing what is in the food you eat. I love this movement because it means that people are more willing to cook and hence try new things.

Recently I have been trying to make better choices. I cut out things such as bread and pasta because I feel they are unnecessary. Personally, those things tend to be addictive to me and cutting them out of my diet has proven to be very beneficial. Not only do I avoid bloating but I also get to be very creative with the foods I eat.

Substituting ingredients is one of my favorite things to do because it really is a game changer. In this case I substituted quinoa for pasta and it did not disappoint me. Quinoa can be as filling or even more than pasta so you tend to have smaller portions. Quinoa also has no gluten which is another added plus if you try to avoid those things (I know I do).

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of quinoa
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons powdered mustard
• 3 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 large egg
• 12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded (+ more for topping)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Fresh black pepper

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook the quinoa as instructed on the packet.
• While the quinoa is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter.
• Whisk in the mustard in the melted butter and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it’s free of lumps.
• Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika.
• Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.
• Temper in the egg.
• Stir in 3/4 of the cheese.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Fold the quinoa into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish.
• Top with remaining cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.