Good Morning Recipe Lovers!

And how wonderful is spring now that it’s upon us! One of my most favorite things about Spring is how it makes me feel like cooking — BIG TIME. So with a diet going on, I managed to scrounge up a delicious and health conscious recipe I know will please eve the most picky eaters!

Today’s recipe is a take on a Southern potluck tradition: the Rice casserole. Many a potluck or dinner has been graced by the presence of this delicious dish and it’s high time it gets revamped to get with the times.

As a lover of goat cheese, I find the excuse to put it in any and every dish I can come up with, this one being no exception.

Now for your ingredients:

• 1 Cup uncooked Quinoa
• 2 Cups Water
• 1 4oz Package Goat Cheese Crumbles
• 1/2 10.75oz Can Campbell’s Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
• 4 TBSP Daisy Light Sour Cream
• 1 12oz Package of Frozen Broccoli Cuts OR 1.5 Cups of Fresh Broccoli
• Optional: 1/2 Cup Grated Cheese (Parmesan & Cheddar work well)

Total Cooking Time: Approximately 1 Hour

If you’ve never cooked quinoa, it’s a very delicious grain that can be a better substitute for rice in any situation. Many recipes you might find will call for it to be rinsed prior to cooking and for this recipe I’ll admit I did not do it and my dish turned out just fine.

To cook the quinoa, add the quinoa and the water and let the pot come to a rolling boil for about a minute. After that, you’re going to want to simmer the pot for the next 10-15 minutes, depending on how fast your stove cooks. Once you’re around the 7 minute mark, make sure you’re stirring occasionally and fluffing the bottom of the pan since the quinoa will be more likely to burn at this point.

Once the quinoa is cooked, put it in a bowl and add your goat cheese and cream of chicken soup. Stir well. You’ll notice that the goat cheese melts instantly and that is so mouthwatering to me, I can’t even stand it!

Next, prepare your broccoli by either steaming or blanching (boil in water) until it is soft (not soggy). Once cooked, you’re going to want to strain and pat as much of the moisture out of the vegetables as you can. It will help with reducing “bad” moisture in the casserole.

With your quinoa in a bowl, mix in the broccoli and finally the sour cream.

You’re going to bake the dish at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until the center is hot. At this point, if you’re adding cheese to the top (and let’s not lie, who wouldn’t do that), do soil and broil until it’s bubbly and brown.

That’s it! And here’s a picture of the final product!

These are definitely not the only ingredients you can add to this dish. In fact, my next version I’ll be making is more of an Italian inspired with pesto and chicken! But with any recipe you come up with, don’t be afraid to experiment!

Cheers! And happy Spring!

Taylor Guardino, The Food Lover Gone Southern