One Pot Mexican Quinoa with Corn Tortilla Chips

Serves 4

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love one-pot dishes as it means less washing up! This dish has a real meaty flavour without the meat! You can use this as a filling in tacos and burritos or serve with home-made corn tortilla chips as I do.

This dish is full of fibre and protein from the quinoa and beans!

Quinoa is a pseudograin. What that means is that it’s actually a seed that’s prepared and eaten like a grain. Not only is it gluten-free but is packed with zinc, folate and other antioxidants.

Cooking onions with mushrooms is a hack I learnt to stop the onions from either “ boiling” with water or burning without the use of oil. If you aren’t used to oil free cooking, then use a bit of extra virgin olive oil or rapeseed oil to cook with.

Ingredients

250g chestnut mushrooms sliced

1 red pepper finely diced

1 red onion diced

4 garlic cloves crushed

3 tsps. oregano

3 tsps. smoked paprika

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

6 tbsps. nutritional yeast

1 tsp cumin

300g salsa (I used luchito brand)

200g defrosted frozen chopped spinach

1 litre vegetable stock

1 cup quinoa

400g can of black beans drained and rinsed

2 tbsps. tomato puree

Juice of ½ a lime

1 tsp chilli flakes

Corn tortillas, 2-3 per person

Salt to taste

Method

1. Heat a large casserole dish and when hot add the onions and mushrooms and stir to avoid burning. The mushrooms will release some water and cook the onions

2. Cook the onions and mushrooms until the onions are slightly brown and soft (add a bit of veg stock to prevent burning if needed)

3. Add the garlic, nutritional yeast and spices and toast for 1 minute (again add a bit of veg stock to prevent burning if needed)

4. Add the quinoa, rest of the vegetable stock and tomato paste, mix and cover the pan with a lid and cook for 20 minutes (check the dish halfway and stir to prevent burning- add a bit more vegetable stock if needed)

5. Uncover the pan after 20 minutes- the quinoa should be nearly done, (if not cover and cook for a few minutes), add the spinach and red pepper and cover the dish and allow to cook on medium heat 5 mins.

6. Uncover the pan and add salt to taste and the juice of half a lime.

7. Take out kid’s portions if needed and add 1 tsp of chilli flakes to the rest of the dish and stir.

8. Cut the tortillas into small triangles and heat in a 200C/392F oven for 2 mins- check to ensure they do not burn.

9. Serve the dish with the tortilla chips, plant-based yoghurt and smashed avocado with lime and salt.