Tomato & Vegetable Quinoa Bake

There’s something about new year and me getting a cold, okay so I only have 2 two year running streak which I don’t wish to continue but I’m pretty sure the cold I had before Christmas that didn’t quite go away came back with a vengeance when the clock struck 12, actually it was when I woke up on the first but let’s say it’s when the clock struck twelve for dramatic effect. It’s safe to say with the way I’m feeling I’m not in a new year new me kind of mood, I’ve got more of a new year, same slob kind of thing going on although post cold I’ll potentially be ready to kick some serious butt...potentially! Usually when I get a cold I’m in a constant state of hunger and I always find the more I eat the faster I get better but now I find it ridiculously easy to skip meals and have to end up eating at midnight to get enough food in and am usually all around too tired to be bothered to cook anything nutritious. This quinoa bake is pretty much the answer to my cold and maybe the answer to your dinner woes, do you have dinner woes? It’s healthy and still pretty much comfort food which is exactly what I need at a time like this. 170g/1 cup of quinoa + 475ml/2 cups water for cooking
1 onion
1 courgette
1 carrot
2 cloves garlic
dried basil & parsley
handful of sugar snap peas
1 tin tomatoes, blended
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp tomato ketchup
60g mozzarella
130g mature cheddar, grated
handful of tomatoes
Fresh basil for serving

Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas mark 5
Cook the quinoa as directed and once cooked leave with the lid on to fluff up.
While the quinoa is cooking, heat a saucepan, chop the vegetables and cook in a frying pan with the dried herbs until soft, add the tin of tomatoes, puree and ketchup and mix then season well. Add in the cooked quinoa mix until everything’s combined and then put the mixture in an oven safe dish. Top the quinoa with the grated cheese and mozzarella and add sliced tomatoes in top. Cook in a preheated oven for 30 minutes and top with fresh basil before serving.