Broccoli & Cashew Cheese-Quinoa Burritos

Recipe from The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Makes 4 large burritos or 6 small burritos

This got a big thumbs-up from the hubby.  The filling reminds me of a really delicious broccoli cheese casserole. You won’t believe how cheesy, delicious, and comforting these vegan burritos are.  If you make the cheese sauce and quinoa in advance, the rest comes together quite quickly.  If you use gluten free tortillas or lettuce leaves for wrapping, this recipe is free of gluten. 

3 cups cooked quinoa*

1 Tablespoon or less olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ½ cup diced sweet onion

Kosher salt or sea salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

¾ cup diced celery

2 cups diced broccoli

3-4 Tablespoons chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Cashew Cheese Sauce**

4 soft tortillas or large lettuce leaves

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic and onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in the celery, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Sauté over medium-high heat until the broccoli is tender, but still bright green.  Add the cooked quinoa and the cheese sauce.  Stir to combine with the vegetables.  Add the red pepper flakes, if using.  Cook until heated through.  Spoon the mixture onto whole-grain tortillas or large lettuce leaves, wrap, and serve.  (You can also grill or press the burrito before serving.)

Nutritional Info: (I used Calorie King app.) (1 of 4 burritos) 500 calories; 8.7 grams fiber; 4.0 grams protein; 141.2 mg potassium; 907.3 mg calcium. (1 of 6 burritos) 334 calories; 5.8 grams fiber; 11.8 grams protein; 94.1 mg potassium; 605 mg calcium

How-To Prepare Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah). Just 1 cup of uncooked quinoa will yield almost 4 cups cooked. Here's what you will need to cook the quinoa: 1 cup uncooked quinoa; 2 cups water for cooking; a sieve; water for rinsing; a saucepan with a cover and a kitchen timer.  Place 1 cup of uncooked quinoa in a sieve (strainer.) Quinoa has a bitter coating (called saponin) that must be rinsed off.  An effective method for rinsing off the bitter coating is to place the quinoa seeds in a fine-meshed strainer and run cold water over the quinoa while gently rubbing the seeds together in your hands. Place the rinsed quinoa in a saucepan and add the 2 cups water. Bring the cooking liquid to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the saucepan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes. (Set a kitchen timer to 15 minutes so you won't forget to check for doneness.)  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork.  Cooked quinoa can be frozen once cooled.

Cashew Cheese Sauce (Makes about 1 cup sauce)

¾ cup raw cashews

1 clove garlic

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice

¼ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

Place the cashews in a bowl and add enough water to cover.  Soak the cashews for at least 3 or 4 hours, preferably overnight.  Drain and rinse the cashews.  Place all the ingredients in the order listed in a food processor or high powered blender.  Process until smooth.  This can be made a couple of days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge.