Mexican Quinoa (vegan)

It’s no secret that the holiday season leads to tighter waistbands and extra bulge. Pick up any women’s magazine out there and you’ll probably find a headline about making smart decisions at holiday parties and sweating off holiday weight. It’s actually impressive that magazines are able to recycle the same 12 months worth of topics each year – really, how many times can you pretend to be sharing top-secret sex moves?

I digress. With a full month of birthday/Thanksgiving eating sitting comfortably around my waist (why are they called love handles if I hate them?), my packed lunches for work have become even more important to lightening up. With two holiday parties this week, the battle begins. That’s why I’m noshing on this zesty quinoa dish, with plenty of protein to keep me full through the workday. My recipe makes about 5-6 servings.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of quinoa, cooked according to directions on bag or box

1 10.5oz container of cherry tomatoes, sliced lengthwise

1 cup of frozen sweet corn, thawed

1 15oz can of black beans, drained

2 Chipotles in Adobo sauce (I keep these in the freezer)

1/2 a yellow onion, chopped

1 avocado, cubed

Juice from 2 limes

Oil, salt, pepper, cumin

Optional protein: tempeh, chopped (I used three grain organic tempeh)

Directions:

Cook quinoa according to directions, drain, and set aside.

Add a couple teaspoons of olive oil to a large pan over medium heat. Add in the onions, Chipotles, and any protein. Saute thoroughly until onions are glassy.

Add in the beans, corn, and sliced tomatoes and continue to saute, adding a touch of oil and a teaspoon of cumin. Saute everything for about 5-7 minutes.

In a large pot, or the pot you used for the quinoa, combine all of your sauteed ingredients with the quinoa over medium heat. Squeeze the juice of one lime over the mixture. Add another teaspoon or two of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Stir thoroughly and continue cooking over medium heat for a total of 5 minutes.