Pure Hunger

I know better than to judge a book by it’s cover. I’m a self proclaimed nerd and this is just a mistake you never make when you have an undying adoration for reading. I’ve transferred this moral code into the kitchen and life. While a recipe may sound ridiculous, ingredients like curry and chocolate, your taste buds could be shocked by the outrageous combination. When I read ingredients for this particular dish I was skeptical but adventurous. I can’t say it was love at first bite but it quickly became my favorite leftover. It made way more than I imagined and when we finished I wondered how it would all get consumed.

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, core/stalks removed, thinly sliced
1 large zucchini, sliced in thin rounds
1 small-medium bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced
10 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1.5-2 Tbsp olive oil
1.5-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2.5-3 cups cooked quinoa*
2 cups hummus
1-.5 lbs cooked ground pork
2-4 Tbsp fresh parsley, basic or coriander, chopped

*Made from 1 cup uncooked

There was nothing to worry about. I must admit this casserole gets better and better as each day passes. The hummus blends and saturates in the spiced vegetables and it all blends together beautifully. I added pork for personal taste to the recipe but there is plenty of protein in this dish without the meat and it’s completely dairy free.

This dish can easily feed a whole family or several guests. You can substitute different vegetables you have on hand for any or all the recommended. It takes hardly any time and can even been prepared beforehand and just cooked 30 minutes before everyone needs to eat. I served it with some hearty bread and a spinach salad.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In large casserole dish, toss vegetables with olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes, until golden in spots. Place roasted vegetables in separate bowl.

Spread cooked quinoa evenly over bottom. Drop spoonfuls of hummus over quinoa and lightly spread to distribute evenly without breaking up layers.

Place roasted veggies over hummus. Layer cooked pork over veggies. Bake 20-25 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.