Quinoa & Egg Enchilada Skillet

January 31, 2014 • Breakfast, Main Dishes, Recipes, Vegetarian

Weather: 18 degrees, blue skies
What I’m listening to:  Hymns Without Words, Jon Schmidt

Food blogging can be a funny profession at times. Once, I had someone unsubscribe from my newsletter, citing that my recipes are “too healthy.” It was probably the quinoa recipes that had scared them off. Bless their heart. That same week, I got another comment that my recipes “aren’t healthy enough.” Bless their heart, too. Truly, I am thankful. I decided right then and there, that if I’m getting comments on both ends of the health spectrum, that I’m probably just exactly where I want to be as a food writer and recipe developer.

IMG_8930I’m about honest, wholesome food from scratch for the family table. What you see here on the blog is what my family of five in Alaska is actually eating. I post healthy recipes often (while fully acknowledging that each person defines healthy differently) – some gluten free, some meatless or even vegan, some dairy free, some low calorie – not because I’m striving to be any of those things in particular, but because the dishes are delicious and approachable, and they are recipes I enjoy and am willing to stand behind. There are many other outstanding bloggers out there developing recipes in the specific areas I mentioned above because those are their areas of expertise.

I’m more of an all-around girl.

I’m of the mind that if we’re getting into our kitchens and cooking food with our own hands, from real, honest ingredients, and gathering together around the table, then we’re already eating better. Way better.

I love a green smoothie, a kale salad, a plate of roasted brussels sprouts, or a bowl of lentils or quinoa. Because, when prepared well, they are both yummy and nutritious. It’s just plain good food.

IMG_8936I also love lots of sweet creamer in my highly-caffeinated coffee, carbs like pasta and bread, real butter, lots of salt, pizza oozing with cheese, and something dessert-like every night after dinner. I post decadent, sweet, rich, stick-to-your-ribs food, too. I don’t write about those because I’m trying to be specifically those things as a cook, either, but because the food is tasty and memorable and the recipes are keepers.

I’m just an all-around girl posting all-around recipes for all-around everyday families. More important to me than any food trend or diet restriction is that people are nourished and satisfied by my recipes, that folks are discovering that cooking from scratch can be accessible and affordable, and that families are getting together around the table more than before. I’m completely ok with falling right in the middle of the nutrition spectrum, a little too healthy for some and a little too decadent for others. That’s just me, guys.

Quinoa & Egg Enchilada Skillet

Quinoa, black beans, and corn baked under a layer of enchilada sauce, cheese, and over-easy eggs. A hearty, flavorful, meatless meal for any time of day.

Yields: Serves 4-6

  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups [enchilada sauce|http://alaskascratch.wpengine.com/2014/01/27/easy-homemade-red-enchilada-sauce/]
  • 2/3 cup Colby jack cheese, grated
  • 6 eggs
  • For Serving:
  • cilantro, chopped
  • green onions, sliced
  • ripe avocado, sliced
  • hot sauce (like Tapatio)

Preheat oven to 375.

To a mixing bowl, add the cooked quinoa, black beans, and corn. In a smaller bowl, mix together the cumin, garlic powder, oil, and lime juice. Pour over the quinoa and toss everything to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the mixture into the bottom of a 12 inch cast-iron skillet. Pour the enchilada sauce over the quinoa then sprinkle everything with cheese. Make six small indentations in the top of the cheese for the eggs. Crack the eggs over the cheese, evenly spacing them out. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Bake the skillet in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, until the egg whites are completely set , but the yolks are still runny and the edges of the skillet are bubbly.

Serve promptly with fresh cilantro, green onions, and avocado slices on top, and hot sauce on the side.