Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos

Vegetarianism has always appealed to me. I'm not the biggest fan of ground beef, or any beef to be honest. Chicken is good but I get tired of it. Pork? I seldom want pork. I just don't like the taste of a lot of meat. Now that I'm cooking more meals and trying to eat better, I'm incorporating more meatless options into my dining. I try and do this more for lunch, since my hubby is a typical carnivore. No veggie options for him!!

One of my favorite new foods I've tried is quinoa. Quinoa is an excellent little grain that is very versatile. It is high in protein (8 grams per cup) and low in fat (3 grams per cup), which makes it a great addition to vegetarian cooking, or just to cut down the fat in your regular meat dishes. One cup of cooked quinoa has 5 grams of fiber as well.  According to Livestrong, quinoa is a completed protein. This means it has the eight essential amino acids your body needs. Enough about the science of quinoa. It tastes great! I find it has a slight nutty taste by itself. My favorite thing about quinoa is that it can be used in many dishes, from breakfast to a meat substitute to even dessert! It is easy to cook and makes a lot (for every one cup of uncooked quinoa, it produces about 3 cups of cooked quinoa). It's becoming easier to find in grocery stores. The first time I ever saw quinoa was I. The bulk section at Central Market. Now I buy it at Walmart!

Quinoa and Black Bean Tacos

1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups water (or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon taco seasoning, or 1 packet taco seasoning
1 can black beans, rinsed
Corn tortillas
Lettuce or spinach leaves
Salsa
Shredded cheese
Sour cream

Begin by boiling the water or broth. When the liquid is boiling, add in the quinoa and turn down the heat. Cook the quinoa over medium heat for 15 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, or until the quinoa has soaked up the water. Fluff with a fork.  Add in the taco seasoning and black beans. Combine until all the seasoning is mixed in. Take your corn tortillas and place them on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven. Heat until the edges start to turn up. The tortillas will remain soft but pliable and warm.  Place a couple spoonfuls of the quinoa mixture in each tortilla. Top with your favorite taco toppings. Enjoy!

I used two small corn tortillas with 1/3 cup of the quinoa mixture on each. I topped mine with spinach leaves, shredded cheese, light sour cream, and salsa. Both tacos were a total of 7 WW PointsPlus. 

 I have a lot left over, too! This mixture would be good in a salad or in a wrap as well. It would also be a good substitute for a southwest-style breakfast, if you don't eat eggs. Over the next few weeks, I will be trying new quinoa ideas as well! Munch on, friends!