High-Protein Taco Salad + A Rant on Chicago's Winters
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the Salad
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa, cooked according to package instructions
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 ears of corn, kernels removed
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese*
  • 4 cups arugula
  • Optional: tortilla chips for garnishing
For the Salsa
  • 2 medium tomatoes, diced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • Dash of cayenne pepper
For the Cilantro-Lime Crèma
  • 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt, soy or almond yogurt*
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • juice from 1 1/2 limes
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
For the Salsa
  1. Add the tomatoes, cilantro, sea salt, and cayenne pepper to a medium bowl, mix together, and refrigerate until ready to use.
For the Cilantro-Lime Crema
  1. Add all ingredients to a blender. Blend on high for 30 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To Assemble the Salads
  1. In a medium bowl, mix cooked quinoa, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne, and salt together until all spices are well-distributed.
  2. Begin assembling your salads in bowls by placing a handful of fresh arugula on the bottom. Top the arugula with the taco "meat." Then, top with black beans, peppers, corn, salsa, avocado, cheese, crèma, and crushed tortilla chips. Serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
*To make vegan, opt for vegan shredded cheese and vegan yogurt.
Recipe by Blissful Basil at https://www.blissfulbasil.com/high-protein-taco-salad-a-rant-on-chicagos-winters/