What's Cookin' Wednesday

Quinoa Taco Bowls

As discussed (several times), I'm a Mexican food junkie. So naturally, I'm a Chipotle fan. However, they're typically super busy, and it isn't as healthy as I wish it would be. They definitely have guac going for them, though. But, why pay $8/bowl when you can make it at home for much less and make it healthier? Plus, you can add in some toppings that maybe they don't have. Black olives. I mean, come on. Black olives are a necessity.

Ingredients:

Roasted Red Pepper & Basil Quinoa

1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles

1 can corn

1 can black beans

1 Tbsp. Cumin

1/8 tsp. Cayenne pepper

2 tsp. Chili Powder

2 tsp. Fajita Seasoning

1 tsp. Paprika

(The fajita seasoning and paprika I got at Penzey's. You can totally omit the fajita seasoning and add in more of the others, or omit completely.)

Toppings:

Romaine lettuce

Mexican-style cheese

Plain Greek yogurt

Black olives

Any other toppings of choice

Here's the quinoa I used. It's amazing, and it added the best flavor to the bowl.

How To:

Cook the quinoa according to the instructions. If you can't find that kind, you can always use normal quinoa! In a small pan, dump the corn and diced tomatoes and green chiles in, and stir to combine well. This makes a super simple corn salsa. I don't add anything to this, I just let it heat up. In another pan, combine black beans and spices. I didn't drain my black beans. Let these sit and heat all the way through, about 10-15 minutes. Now, in your serving bowls, put about 1/2 cup of quinoa in the bottom of the bowl. Top this with the bean mixture, then the corn salsa. Then top it with lettuce, yogurt, black olives, cheese, and whatever else you desire! If you're a meat eater, it would be so easy to add in some seasoned chicken or beef.
Easy peasy and healthy!! (:

What're you going to top your burrito bowl with!? 

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Roasted Beer & Lime Cauliflower Tacos w/ Cilantro Coleslaw

Isn't that a mouthful? I got this recipe out of one of my recent Women's Health magazines. Holy yum. It has this spicy, yummy, smokey taste. Along with the vinegar from the coleslaw. So good.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower

3/4 cup beer

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari

1 1/2 Tbsp. hot sauce

1-2 cloves garlic, sliced

1 head cauliflower, chopped

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. olive oil

Corn tortillas

Coleslaw

2 Tbsp. lime juice

2 Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

1 tsp. olive oil

1/8 tsp. salt

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 small carrot, cut into matchsticks

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400. In a medium saucepan, combine the beer, vegetable broth, lime juice, soy sauce or tamari, hot sauce, and garlic. Bring this to a light simmer and toss in the cauliflower. Mix this around, and let it soak up the flavors for about 5 minutes. Dump this mixture in a collander, and transfer the cauliflower to a greased baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the seasonings, olive oil, and cauliflower, making sure to coat the cauliflower well. Pop the cauliflower in the oven for 25-30 minutes.

While that's going, make the coleslaw. I made mine in the same large bowl that I coated the cauliflower in for flavor cohesion. Yeah, real fancy. To do this, just combine all the ingredients listed under coleslaw, mixing well to coat everything! I tossed my corn tortilla shells in the oven for a bit to get a little cripiness. Once everything is done, toss some coleslaw in a shell with some cauliflower. Top with avocado, salsa, or whatever your favorite toppings are!

 

 

Who else has a magazine subscription with recipes!? What's your favorite you've tried?