Pantry Raid: Leftover Naked Burrito Quinoa

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Rice, quinoa and grains in general are hard to measure out exactly when setting up the rice cooker. In our house, I never wind up with the right amount. There's either 1 scoop left, which is not enough to divide into lunch containers for the next day, or we have a mountain left. Unfortunately, it tends to get packed away and forgotten about in the refrigerator until its too late and too smelly. I challenged myself to re-purpose our leftover quinoa this week into something different using ingredients from the pantry...no shopping trip required. This recipe ended up being the perfect triple treat of taste, protein and veggie all in one!

Leftover Naked Burrito Quinoa

Prep Time 15 min, serves 6.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cup Cooked Quinoa
• 1 TSP. Olive Oil
• 1 TSP. Minced Garlic
• 6 OZ. Frozen Corn
• 1 Can Black Beans, Drained
• 1 Can Diced Tomatoes, Drained
• 1 TSP Chili Powder
• 1 TSP Cumin
• 1 Pinch Salt

Bonus Ingredients

• 2 TBSP Onion, Diced
• 1 TBSP Fresh Jalapeno, Diced
• 1 TBSP Fresh Cilantro, Chopped
• Greek Yogurt

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic (and onion and jalapeno). Stir until fragrant.
2. Add frozen corn to skillet. Let corn roast over medium heat for several minutes until kernels begin to toast lightly.
3. Stir in black beans, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt. Reduce heat to low. Let mixture continue to cook until simmering.
4. Stir in leftover quinoa. Mix ingredients together over low heat until quinoa is warmed. Stir in cilantro. Top each serving with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream).

Tips and Tricks:

• Give this recipe a try with whatever leftover grains are in the fridge. Quinoa, white rice, brown rice and farro all provide a neutral flavor profile to let the spices shine.
• Don't have a full serving of any grain? Mix them up! This is tough to do when cooking from dry since cook times can vary greatly, but when using leftover cooked grains, reheating is pretty universal. Add variety by stirring in multiple types of grains.

For another great leftover recipe, check out 5 Minute Garlic Bread Croutons!