Cookie and Kate have a house guest for the next few days. His name is Henry and he is Ali’s sweet Yorkie-maltese mix. The dogs have been getting along well, but their personalities really could not be more different. Observing them has been an interesting study in dog psychology. Here’s a brief rundown of our subjects: Cookie is a quick and fearless circus dog who inhales her food the second it hits the bowl. Henry is a shy but interested little Toto who nibbles on his dinner and runs from falling Brussels sprouts.
I don’t blame Henry. I would run from giant falling cabbages as well. Cookie, on the other hand, treats falling Brussels sprouts like gold raining from the sky. “FOOD!” I’ll have to be more careful with my sprouts while Henry is here. This Brussels sprout gratin is worth it, though. Its bubbly, garlicky, bread crumb-topped goodness filled with caramelized Brussels sprouts, hearty quinoa and creamy cheese. Lots of cheese. This is my first gratin recipe and it will certainly not be my last.
This recipe comes from The High-Protein Vegetarian Cookbook, a new cookbook by Katie Parker of Veggie and the Beast. (How great is her blog’s name?!) Katie’s vegetarian recipes are hearty and rich in protein, thanks to whole grains, beans, vegetables, tofu and dairy. Just the kind of food I love to eat! This delicious gratin is all Katie’s concept. I’ve made it a few times now and couldn’t help but tinker with the cooking method and seasonings, like I always do. I cooked the quinoa in vegetable broth for extra flavor and skipped the béchamel sauce, replacing it with a cup of milk instead. I’m totally enamored with how this quinoa gratin turned out. I think it would be great with roasted cauliflower or carrots, too. If you’re looking for a healthy-ish, comforting winter dish, this is it!
Cuisinart 7-Cup Food Processor Wusthof 7-Inch Santoku Knife Microplane Extra Coarse Grater Crate and Barrel Everyday Square Baker ▸ For more of my favorite cooking tools, shop my healthy kitchen!
