Quinoa Veggie Tacos in Lettuce Wraps

Three ways to make your traditionally not-so-healthy tacos... healthy. Add a lot of vegetables, swap the tortilla for lettuce and pack in the flavor with fresh ingredients. You won't miss the meat in this recipe because you get so much protein from beans and quinoa, that it almost tastes like meat. You can really experiment with the toppings and add whatever you want. I was inspired by this original recipe from Feasting not Fasting, and took the idea and ran with it. Just taking my own short cuts and adding in flavors we love. 

Quinoa Veggie Tacos in Lettuce Wraps

• ½ cup quinoa, rinsed
• 3 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
• 1 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 yellow/orange bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh salsa (not jarred, the kind in the refrigerated kind) 
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• ½ lb. sliced white mushrooms
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1½ tsp. chili powder
• ½ tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne (if you like things spicy) 
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro, split in half
• 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 head of lettuce, pick leaves that are good lettuce wraps, I like bibb leaves
• 1 avocado, diced

1. Combine 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup of water in a pan. Bring to a boil. Cover, knock the heat down to  low. Keep and eye on it. In about 10 minutes it should be close to done. When all the water is gone - it's done. 
2. While quinoa cooks, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell pepper and sauté about 3-4 minutes. Add in corn and sauté another 2 minutes.
3. Add garlic and mushrooms and continue cooking until veggies are cooked and lightly browned.
4. Stir in salt, chili powder, paprika, cumin, cayenne, half of the chopped cilantro, and ¼ cup salsa. Add quinoa and black beans. Stir and remove from heat.
5. Serve veggie filling, grated cheese, additional salsa, cilantro, and avocado in lettuce wraps.

**Makes 4 servings ( you can make leftovers into a salad too!)
**3 on Bryce's dish scale. Pot, skillet, knife, cutting board. A strainer for rinsing quinoa and beans.