INGREDIENTS:
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin*
- 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika*
- 1 teaspoon chili powder*
- 1⁄4 teaspoon granulated garlic*
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne*
- 1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups cooked quinoa or 1 pound grass-fed ground beef
- Pinch of sea salt
- 8 red-leaf lettuce leaves (or any lettuce of choice) or organic corn tortillas
SUB SPICE FOR:
- 2 teaspoons tex-mex power blend (recipe follows)
OPTIONAL:
- 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for additional heat
FOR TOPPINGS (OPTIONAL):
- 1⁄2 cup homemade salsa or your favorite store-bought variety
- 1 avocado, chopped
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast 1 lime, cut into wedges
FOR THE TEX-MEX POWER BLEND :
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon granulated onion
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Serves 4
Taco Tuesday just got a facelift! Store- bought taco spice mixes are often heavy on salt and polluted with sugar, fillers, and other chemicals. These tacos instead rely on potent amounts of the spices tradition- ally used in tacos, so you can reap major antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Use quinoa as the main component to truly let the spices shine through, or make the beef version, if you desire. My favorite way to enjoy these tacos is in lettuce cups with a scoop of fresh salsa, cubed avocado, fresh cilantro, and a splash of fresh lime juice. Or, if you prefer a traditional wrapping for your taco, feel free to use organic corn tortillas instead of lettuce.
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions and minced garlic and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onion is softened.
2. Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, granulated garlic, cayenne, and black pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring occasionally, until the spices are fragrant.
3. Add the quinoa and stir until well incorpo- rated (or, if using beef, add and stir frequently to prevent clumping, until browned and cooked through). Season with salt and remove from the heat.
4. Scoop about 1⁄4 cup of the filling into each lettuce leaf and serve with the desired toppings.