Healthy Quinoa Taco Bowl
Here is our “Healthy Quinoa Taco Bowl”!!
This is a wholesome, high protein, nutrient-dense, super tasty version of the original recipe. We partnered with Home Chefs Bhakta Foodies to create this bowl of fun. This recipe is the first in our new series “Health In A Bowl”. You can expect flavours from across the globe. Each bowl will be easy to prep and great for health.
These healthy quinoa taco bowls are not only delicious but are quick and easy to make which means they are the perfect option for weekly meal prep. They’re packed with good ingredients and are surprisingly filling. You can swap out the ingredients according to your personal taste which makes them super versatile. The possibilities of what you can add are endless. Most importantly, this bowl combines classic taco flavours with nutritious vegetables and of course, quinoa. You can call it taco bowl Tuesday!
Special Notes by Bhakta Foodies
- Cook some cilantro-lime quinoa – While you can always use plain old quinoa, cilantro and lime will take your quinoa to another level. Simply stir in some lime juice and chopped cilantro after your quinoa is cooked.
- Add the beans – For this recipe, we’ve used black beans however there are many options to choose from some great options include pinto or kidney beans.
- Add crunchy stuff aka vegetables – This is a must! The more the better! See nutritionist notes for some variations.
- Add punchy flavours by seasoning the avocado – It’s best to add fresh avocados to your bowl vs adding them to your meal plan.
- Add the cheddar cheese – Cheese is totally optional. If you prefer to keep it vegan go for it!
FAQS
What else can I put in a taco bowl?
There are endless ways to customize taco bowls so don’t feel confined to our list of ingredients. You can add refried beans, salsa, Mexican blend cheese, guacamole, or even cilantro lime rice instead of quinoa.
What is the best way to store leftovers and how long will they last in the refrigerator?
We recommend storing the ingredients in separate containers and assembling them in a bowl when you’re ready to eat. Quinoa will last up to a week in the refrigerator however since we have added fresh cilantro it will only keep fresh for up to 4 days.
Similarly, the avocado mix does not keep fresh for too long. It’s best to prepare the avocado mix as you need it.
How do I make this vegan?
Go ahead and leave out the cheddar cheese if you want to make this vegan. We have made this bowl several times without cheese and it’s just as delicious. Alternatively, you can use your favourite vegan cheese.
An Even Healthier Variation
This bowl is a great way of ensuring a well rounded, nutrient-dense meal. What makes the taco bowl really good is that it is rich in fibre, protein and good fats. All of this together ensures that your blood sugar levels are stable after eating this bowl. This keeps you full and satiated for hours.
While this recipe by Bhakta Foodies is healthy as is, there are still a few things you can do to make it even better.
-
- Replace the canned beans with homemade beans. Simply buy dry beans (either black beans or kidney beans), soak them in water for 12-16 hours and then cook them with salt and a few drops of apple cider vinegar. Strain the beans and use them for the bowl. The broth from the beans can be used as a soup with the addition of some lime juice.
- Replace the store-bought taco seasoning with a homemade variant – you can make this by blending garlic, cumin powder, chilli powder (combine a spicy powder with a mild but redder one), and salt.
- You can use a lactofermented tomato hot sauce to add heat.
- Increase the fibre – add some fajita vegetables by sauteing garlic, red onion, carrots, mushrooms, and bell peppers with chilli powder, cayenne pepper powder, cumin powder and a dash of cinnamon. End this with a drizzle of lime juice.
The idea behind this dish was to create something that was delicious, easy to make, easy to meal prep and was wholesome! You can play around with the elements of the bowl and use this structure to really just create a bowl that works for you.
Healthy Quinoa Taco Bowl
Ingredients
Lime Cilantro Quinoa
- 1/3 cup Quinoa
- 2/3 cup Water
- 1/4 tsp Taco Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Chilli Seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Salt Rock Salt or Pink Salt is the better choice
- 1 tbsp Cilantro finely chopped
- To Taste Lime Juice
Avocado Mix
- 1 Avocado roughly 100 grams pulp
- 1 small Tomato diced
- 1 tbsp Cilantro finely chopped
- To Taste Lime Juice
- 1/3 tsp Taco Seasoning
- 1/3 tsp Garlic Powder OR 2 fresh Garlic cloves
- 1/3 tsp Black Pepper Powder
- To Taste Salt
Bowl
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper diced
- 1/4 medium Red Onion diced
- Big Handful Lettuce Leaves
- 2 cups Black Beans or Kidney Beans store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese or Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Fajita Vegetables (optional)
- 12 medium Carrot julienne
- 8-10 Button Mushrooms diced
- 1/2 medium Onion julienne
- 1/2 medium Zucchini julienne
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper Powder
- 1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
- A pinch Cinnamon Powder
- 1 tsp Olive Oil
- 3 cloves Garlic chopped
Instructions
Quinoa
- To begin, wash the quinoa using a strainer. Run it through the water a few times to remove the coating and bitter taste.
- In a pot bring the quinoa and water to a boil (This should take 2-3 minutes). Add in the seasoning and give it a stir. Reduce the heat all the way down to minimum, cover and cook for 7 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and then fluff the quinoa with a fork.
- Add cilantro and lime to the quinoa and gently stir to combine all the ingredients.
Avocado
- In a bowl combine the diced avocado, tomato, cilantro and lime. Add in the seasoning and mix until combined.
Fajita Vegetables
- In a pan, heat oil and garlic. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes.
- Add the rest of vegetables and cook well.
- Mix in the spices.
Bowl
- Assemble lettuce leaves over the bowls. Now add equal parts fajita vegetables, bell pepper, diced onions and black beans over the leaves.
- Then add in the avocado mix and quinoa. Next, top your bowl with cheddar cheese.
- This is optional but for the best tasting taco bowl mix everything together.
Video
Notes
Special Notes by Bhakta Foodies
- Cook some cilantro-lime quinoa - While you can always use plain old quinoa, cilantro and lime will take your quinoa to another level. Simply stir in some lime juice and chopped cilantro after your quinoa is cooked.
- Add the beans - For this recipe, we’ve used black beans however there are many options to choose from some great options include pinto or kidney beans.
- Add crunchy stuff aka vegetables - This is a must! The more the better! See nutritionist notes for some variations.
- Add punchy flavours by seasoning the avocado - It’s best to add fresh avocados to your bowl vs adding them to your meal plan.
- Add the cheddar cheese - Cheese is totally optional. If you prefer to keep it vegan go for it!
FAQS
What else can I put in a taco bowl?
There are endless ways to customize taco bowls so don’t feel confined to our list of ingredients. You can add refried beans, salsa, Mexican blend cheese, guacamole, or even cilantro lime rice instead of quinoa.What is the best way to store leftovers and how long will they last in the refrigerator?
We recommend storing the ingredients in separate containers and assembling them in a bowl when you’re ready to eat. Quinoa will last up to a week in the refrigerator however since we have added fresh cilantro it will only keep fresh for up to 4 days. Similarly, the avocado mix does not keep fresh for too long. It’s best to prepare the avocado mix as you need it. How do I make this vegan? Go ahead and leave out the cheddar cheese if you want to make this vegan. We have made this bowl several times without cheese and it’s just as delicious. Alternatively, you can use your favourite vegan cheese.An Even Healthier Variation:
This bowl is a great way of ensuring a well rounded, nutrient-dense meal. What makes the taco bowl really good is that it is rich in fibre, protein and good fats. All of this together ensures that your blood sugar levels are stable after eating this bowl. This keeps you full and satiated for hours. While this recipe by Bhakta Foodies is healthy as is, there are still a few things you can do to make it even better.-
- Replace the canned beans with homemade beans. Simply buy dry beans (either black beans or kidney beans), soak them in water for 12-16 hours and then cook them with salt and a few drops of apple cider vinegar. Strain the beans and use them for the bowl. The broth from the beans can be used as a soup with the addition of some lime juice.
- Replace the store-bought taco seasoning with a homemade variant - you can make this by blending garlic, cumin powder, chilli powder (combine a spicy powder with a mild but redder one), and salt.
- You can use a lactofermented tomato hot sauce to add heat.
- Increase the fibre - add some fajita vegetables by sauteing garlic, red onion, carrots, mushrooms, and bell peppers with chilli powder, cayenne pepper powder, cumin powder and a dash of cinnamon. End this with a drizzle of lime juice.
