How do you give a recipe meat when it’s Meatless Monday? You give it mushrooms and Quinoa! That is exactly what I did when I made these vegetarian quinoa fajita bowls.
It was just a few months ago that I tried quinoa (KEEN-wah) for the first time. Quinoa has a nutty taste and can take on spice beautifully, served as a side dish or main course. Quinoa has great nutritional benefits. According to EatingWell.com, quinoa is a complete protein, which means that it provides all nine essential amino acids.
A Note About Quinoa:
Something I learned recently and well worth mentioning about quinoa is that it grows with a protective coating called saponin. Most packages of quinoa have already been rinsed. However, you should rinse it again before use, to ensure that the bitter flavor is gone. Do rinse the quinoa, pour it into a sieve and run cold water over it for a few seconds before cooking. It’s just a good way to ensure all the bitter flavor is indeed gone.
The Vegetarian Quinoa Fajita Bowls:
Vegan, and gluten-free, these delicious fajita bowls consist of portobello mushrooms, onions bell peppers, and jalapeños. Sauteed vegetables and seasoned with Mexican spices, with smoked paprika. The smoked paprika gives the vegetables a deep rich smokiness. Serve the mouthwatering vegetables in a large bowl with lime-cilantro quinoa, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado. Garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
What I love most about this dish is that in the end, I got a bowl full of all my favorite Mexican flavors. I especially liked the addition of the smoked paprika. The smoked paprika gave the vegetables a deep rich smokiness. Something you normally wouldn’t expect from regular taco seasoning. I particularly loved the contrast of the fresh corn, tomatoes, the creaminess of the avocado and the zip of the lime juice and cilantro.
Oh gracious me, now I’m all worked up for one of these fajita bowls!
Delicious, and satisfying, you can whip up a healthy delicious meatless meal in about 20 minutes with these vegetarian quinoa fajita bowls! The fajita bowls are packed with flavor and the leftovers may be even better!
A little extra squeeze of lime juice at the end and you will fall in love with these delicious vegetarian quinoa fajita bowls.
Try them tonight!
Vegetarian Quinoa Fajita Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 lime juiced
- ½ cup cilantro
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ white onion sliced
- 2 bell peppers sliced
- 2 large portobello caps sliced
- 1 small jalapeño optional
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 cup corn cooked
- ½ cup grape tomatoes halved
- 15 ounce can black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 avocado sliced
- lime wedges for serving
- cilantro for serving
Instructions
- Pour the quinoa into a sieve and rinse with cold water. Add the rinsed quinoa and 2 cups of water to a small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, slice the vegetables for cooking. Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno; sauté until vegetables have started to soften; about 5 minutes. Toss in the sliced mushrooms and sauté for about 10 to 15 minutes. Toss with the taco seasoning and paprika; coat well and remove from the heat.
- To serve, mix the quinoa with lime juice and cilantro. Divide equally between four bowls along with equal parts of the vegetables, corn, tomatoes, and beans. Garnish with avocado and cilantro if desired.
Julie is Hostess At Heart says
I just love portobello mushrooms and could consider being a part-time vegetarian with recipes like this! Super yummy!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Julie! Good to hear from you. I feel the same way about mushrooms! Hope you have been doing well!