Creamy Chipotle Sweet Potato & Quinoa Casserole

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

In a saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a rapid boil. Stir in the quinoa, bring water back to a boil, cover the pan and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes or until quinoa is al dente and has absorbed the water.

Mix the quinoa with the diced tomato, jalapeno, black beans and lime juice. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pack the mixture down firmly into a casserole dish or cast iron skillet, then top with one cup of shredded mozzarella. You can use a 12 inch skillet or a 3 quart casserole dish for this recipe.

Slice the sweet potatoes thinly using a knife or a mandolin slicer. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cream and chipotle powder. You can add a little more or a little less chipotle based on your taste and spice tolerance. Add a little salt and pepper to taste.

In a large mixing bowl, toss together the sauce, sweet potato slices, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Don’t worry about coating all of the slices evenly. They’ll get more sauce when they are added to the casserole.

Spread the coated sweet potatoes over the layer of qunioa in the cast iron skillet or casserole dish, one slice at a time. Try to overlap each slice just a little to form a tight seal out of the sweet potatoes. When they have all been laid out, pour the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle the top with the remaining one cup of mozzarella. If you like, you can sprinkle a little black pepper or dried parsley on top to make it more attractive.

Bake the casserole in the oven for 60 minutes. The casserole will be done when the sweet potatoes have become fork tender and the top has melted and browned. Let the casserole sit for 5 – 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. Then serve right away.

I like serving this casserole with a green salad or a green vegetable. If you or your family find it to be too spicy, try serving a little sour cream or guacamole on the side.