Quinoa Salad Soft Tacos (Vegan and Gluten-Free)

I love the beginning of a New Year.  Hello, 2012.  I hope you’re good to us.

This year I have made a few goals.  The first one being:  Simplify.  And that means I’ve shortened my list to just a few goals instead of a laundry list.

Simplicity is something I’ve been craving.  In my home, in my personal life, in my diet, etc., etc.  I need to do a good housecleaning and let go of clutter I’ve been hanging onto–figuratively and literally.

So, once again I am making the goal to eat healthier.  I did better last year at that goal than in years past.  Somewhere around Halloween I gave into baking and holiday treats.  I officially gave up gluten (again, for reals this time) in November.  So now I’m officially ready to give up dairy.  Little steps so I don’t lose my mind. :)

I’m giving full-time veganism another try.  I’m craving the simplicity of sticking to mostly fruits and vegetables, nuts, and gluten-free grains.  I’m learning to listen to my body again and it’s telling me it wants leafy greens and citrus right now.  I dropped by Sunflower and stocked up for a healthy first week of 2012.

This salad is based on a quinoa salad from a new cookbook I received last year.  (That I love adore.)  I posted the recipe over at Make and Takes last summer.  Eat this as a salad or as a filling for soft tacos as I have here.  Either way is equally satisfying.

Basically, I was hungering for something fresh after the last few weeks of too much sugar and dairy.  This fit the bill.  I got a bit of creaminess from the avocado and beans, the fresh crunch from the shallots and green pepper.  The bright, slightly sweet burst of juice from the orange, and a little bit of spice from the cumin and chili powder.

Quinoa Salad Soft Tacos

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked quinoa
3/4 to 1 cup cooked black or another kind of bean (or used canned)
1 small orange, peeled, sectioned and cut into pieces
1 small avocado, diced
1/2 green or yellow pepper, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 small shallot, finely diced or 3 green onions, sliced
juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp each:  ground cumin and chili powder
1 small bunch baby spinach, washed well and thinly sliced (any tender green would be fine)
a few corn tortillas (homemade are best, but I’ve used store-bought here)

Instructions:
Mix together all the ingredients and serve folded in a corn tortilla.

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Also on the menu this week:

Kale and Potato Soup with Gluten-Free Biscuits (we actually ate this last night for dinner and lunch today)
Roasted Golden Beets with Beet Green and Parsley Pesto
Winter Minestrone Soup topped with leftover pesto
Chopped Salad with loads of fresh veggies
Radicchio-Radish Salad (possibly with apples and raisins or this salad, still deciding)
Roasted Butternut Squash, Cranberry, Apple Pecan Bake (I made this for Thanksgiving and it was fabulous)

What are your goals this year?  What are you eating this week?

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81 Comments

  1. I have all these ingredients on hand. I think I might make this for lunch! Thanks for sharing. Always look forward to trying your recipes.

  2. Your menu looks great!

    I don’t recall the last time I had shallots raw. I think I’m due. Wonderful recipe. Sounds light yet filling and refressing!

  3. Hello. I’m planning on trying out this recipe, sounds splendid by the way. I just want to ask how many tacos this recipe makes and also how long it can stay out of the refrigerator. Do you think about 3 hours is fine? Or does it not have to be refrigerated at all?

    1. Hi Alicia! It only really makes enough for 1-2 people. And it can sit out of the fridge for a few hours without going bad. You may want to add the avocados right before serving so they don’t turn brown.

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