Celebrate the New Year with Quinoa Black Bean Tacos

Most people make an attempt at healthy eating and exercise at the beginning of the new year.  This is one of those recipes (I found it on CookieandKate.com) that’ll knock the socks off your tastebuds whether you’re a carnivore, vegetarian or vegan and you’ll want to keep making it all year long. I make my own Guacamole to top these yummy tacos.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped red onion
2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground chili powder
½ cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well in a fine mesh colander
1 cup vegetable broth or water
1 (14 ounce) can black beans or 1½ cups cooked black beans, rinsed and drained
¼ to ½ teaspoon salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 to 8 small, round corn tortillas (certified gluten-free if necessary)
1½ cups roughly chopped romaine lettuce or spring greens
Optional garnishes: pickled jalapeños or radishes, crumbled feta cheese, hot sauce or salsa

1. To make the filling, warm the olive oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic with a dash of salt for 4 to 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and turning translucent. Add the tomato paste, cumin and chili powder and sauté for another minute, stirring constantly.

2. Add the rinsed quinoa and 1 cup broth or water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then cover the pot, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the quinoa from heat and let it rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pot, drain off any excess liquid and fluff the quinoa with a fork. Stir in the drained black beans and add salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and set aside for a couple of minutes to warm up the beans.

3. Warm tortillas wrapped in a paper towel in the microwave for approximately 45 seconds per 4 tortillas. To assemble the tacos, spread quinoa and black bean filling down the center of the tortilla, then top with a generous spoonful of guacamole, a handful of chopped romaine and any additional garnishes you’d like to add.  Personally love the Green Dragon hot sauce you can find at Trader Joe’s.