Quinoa Taco Meat

I was. I only liked canned pears when it came to fruits (yeah, I know, that’s weird).

Dinner was usually shells and cheese. My parents would always cause a meltdown if they served creamed corn (I hated the stuff).

Desserts, on the other hand. It’s easy to please as long as there are no coconut flakes, ch, berries, or raisins involved.

What is another menu item that I would never be able to resist? Tacos. My family loved crispy tortilla tacos filled with ground beef, salsa, and lots of other ingredients. My favorite was to add corn to the taco filling. You don’t need to tell me what a refined palate I had at six years old.

Today, I don’t use ground beef to fill tacos *. I miss the crumbly texture of ground beef.

You can probably see what I’m getting at. Quinoa is a great substitute! It’s almost unbelievable. See how.

This recipe requires only nine ingredients and uses simple methods.

Bake quinoa until crisp, add salsa and spices, then eat. See? It was simple, I told you.

When I was making my Quinoa Stuffed Peppers one evening, some of the quinoa spilled out into the pan. It got crispy and delicious as it baked – I couldn’t get enough. It was a lightbulb moment.

Ingredients

QUINOA

• 1 cup white, red, or tri-color quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable stock*
• 3/4 cup of water

SEASONINGS

• Half a cup of salsa (I love the Trader Joe’s brand – it is slightly chunky).
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• Cumin ground 2 tsp
• 2 tsp of ground chili powder
• 1 tsp Garlic powder
• Half a teaspoon of each black pepper and sea salt
• 1 Tbsp olive or avocado oil

Instructions

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once the quinoa is hot, add it and toast for 4 to 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
• Add water and vegetable broth, and bring to a boil on medium heat. Reduce heat, cover tightly with a lid, and cook for 15-25 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. Then, fluff with a fork and crack the top. Let it rest for ten more minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Add the cooked quinoa into a large bowl. Add all other ingredients (salsa powder, nutritional yeast, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt). Mix well. Spread on a baking sheet lightly greased or lined with parchment paper.
• To ensure even cooking, stir/toss once halfway through the baking time. When the quinoa turns golden and fragrant, it is ready. Take care not to burn it!
• The quinoa meat is great in taco shells, both crispy and soft, but I think it’s also good in nachos or taco salads. It would also be delicious in enchiladas. Dream big!
• Keep leftovers in your refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or an oven at 350 degrees F (176 C).