Gluten Free Quinoa Tacos

This recipe is made for only 2 people. You can double or triple it if you are feeding more.

Cinco De Mayo is right around the corner. You don't have to feel left out if you have a restricted diet. You too can join in the fun with these delicious, messy, gluten free quinoa tacos. Messy foods are scrumptious foods, the messier the better.

Gluten Free Quinoa Tacos are not only delicious but a great health benefit.

If you aren't using store bought pita or tortilla, then make your homemade gluten free no yeast pita bread or gluten free soft flour tortillas for tacos or gluten free chickpea pancakes - Vegan. I just leave out the vegetables on the chickpea pancakes and make them thinner by adding more water and they are a perfect wrap or soft taco.

How to cook the quinoa:

Place quinoa into a strainer and rinse well. "Rinsing removes quinoa's natural coating, called saponin, which can make it taste bitter or soapy."

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Next place quinoa into a dry frying pan. Cook on medium heat, stiring frequently. Stir until it starts to brown., approximately 3 minutes.

Move quinoa into a deep pot, like you would make rice in, and add vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, approximately 15 to 20 minutes. If all broth is dried up, you can move to next step. If not, cook another 2 to 3 minutes. Once broth is dried up, remove pot from heat and allow to sit covered for 5 minutes. After the 5 minutes, fluff with a fork.

Just before the quinoa is done steaming, add a small amount of olive oil into the frying pan and heat on medium. Fry diced yellow onion until soft and slightly brown. Add the cooked quinoa, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Mix everything together. Cook approximately 5 minutes but don't stir. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside.

Making the Tacos:

Drain, rinse and mash beans and put them into a small frying pan with a drop of olive oil. Season beans to taste with onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Fry beans approximately 3 to 5 minutes, stirring at least once.

Wash, slice and/or chop your vegetables.

Make yogurt sauce if you plan on using it and put salsa and sour cream into serving bowls.

Assemble tacos with the soft taco of your choice. I used the gluten free chickpea taco. Add quinoa, beans, vegetables and sauce(s) - salsa, sour cream, yogurt sauce or any combination you desire. Serve and enjoy.

Ingredients:

For Quinoa:

1/2 cup Quinoa

1 1/2 cups Vegetable broth - add more if it gets dry

Olive oil

1/4 yellow onion diced small

1 teaspoon onion powder - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise noted

1 teaspoon garlic powder - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise noted

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice - I use fresh lemons

For Tacos:

1/4 red pepper sliced into thin strips

lettuce shredded - amount your choice

fresh spinach - washed and stems removed

tomato - sliced thin

thinly sliced red onion - amount your choice

cheese of your choice - shredded - cheddar, feta, mozzarella, or any other you desire

1/2 cup black beans drained and rinsed - mashed

garlic powder to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise noted

onion powder to taste - McCormick is gluten free unless otherwise noted

salt to taste

Gluten free Salsa - most salsa is gluten free but read labels for cross contamination

Gluten free sour cream - most sour cream is gluten free but read labels for cross contamination

Homemade gluten free Greek yogurt sauce if desired

Homemade gluten free no yeast pita bread or gluten free soft flour tortillas for tacos or gluten free chickpea pancakes - Vegan. I just leave out the vegetables on the chickpea pancakes and make them thinner by adding more water and they are a perfect wrap or soft taco.