Quinoa “Taco” Salad by AmyLynn214

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa 1 red onion, chopped 3 cloves garlic, minced half a red bell pepper, chopped half a green bell pepper, chopped half a yellow bell pepper, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin 1/2 teaspoon oregano 1-2 teaspoons chili powder, depending heat preferences dash cayenne pepper 1 -15 ounce can black beans, drained 3/4 cup diced tomatoes (fresh or canned) 2 limes salt and pepper, to taste 6-8 ounces baby spinach 1 bunch cilantro 1/3 cup cheddar or feta cheese 1 avocado, diced

Instructions

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, swirl a bit of olive oil in a saute pan. Heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and saute for 3-5 minutes, until translucent and tender. Add garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cayenne and peppers and saute an additional 2 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in the black beans, tomatoes, and the juice of 1 lime. Stir in quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill.
Roughly cut baby spinach into strips like you would shred iceberg lettuce for tacos. Remove about 1 cup of cilantro leaves from the bunch, rinse and pat dry, and toss with the spinach. Divide spinach and cilantro mixture evenly among 4 salad plates. Top each plate with a scoop of the quinoa salad. Top each salad with your choice of cheese and diced avocado. Cut the remaining lime into slices to garnish the plates.