crockpot

Crockpot Mexican Quinoa

The Ultimate Guide to Dairy & Gluten Free Meals

This was first made by my college roommate who seldom cooked. I was drawn downstairs one morning by a blissful smell and, to my shock, saw her bustling about the kitchen. Apparently, Pinterest was responsible for compelling her to get up early and make this quinoa dish. That’s the beautiful thing about a crockpot! Without having any previous cooking experience or knowledge, you can basically throw everything in this hot pot and it will turn out delicious. Nothing is better when you get home after a long day at work and get hit with the wafting smell of your efforts. Seriously, invest in a crockpot and you can thank me later.

mexican crockpot.jpg

This Mexican Quinoa is definitely a treat and according to my brother, has a dope score of 10 on the “scale of dopeness.” It’s the right amount of spicy and sweet (from the corn), and is protein packed! This gluten and dairy free meal is always a crowd pleaser, so I highly recommend it.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground turkey
  • 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained
  • 1 can (14.5 0z) of canned corn, drained.
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted tomatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce 
  • 1 TBs cumin
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Toppings: 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, shredded Daiya cheese, and tortilla chips

Instructions:

  1. In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey until no pink remains. Add into the crockpot.
  2. Add the quinoa, beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, water, enchilada sauce, garlic and spices into the crockpot.
  3. Cover and set to cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours. Check occasionally to stir, making sure the quinoa does not stick to the sides. 
  4. Taste test toward the end of the cooking time and see if you need to add more cumin or salt.
  5. Serve with the toppings: tortilla chips, cilantro, and daiya lactose free cheese.

The chips add a nice crunch, the cilantro; a fresh herbal sensation, and the cheese… well.. enough said. There are about 6-8 servings in this, so it’s great for leftovers for the week! 

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