This recipe comes from a website called Damn Delicious, which is appropriately named.  I made this recipe awhile back and loved it.  I made a big batch and froze some for later.  “Later” turned out to be lunch today, and I loved it just as much the second time around.

http://damndelicious.net/2014/04/19/quinoa-black-bean-tacos/

The recipe is for tacos, but I just ate the filling as is, and it was delicious.  My alterations of convenience, other than the whole non-taco thing:

• Instead of diced tomatoes and green chiles, I used some homemade green chile that I made just before I made this recipe (which is just green chiles, tomatoes, and some of the same spices in the recipe anyway).
• I didn’t toast the quinoa because I forgot until after I had it in the water to cook.
• I omitted the lime juice and cilantro because I didn’t have either, but they would be a really nice addition.
• I didn’t add the avocado or sour cream toppings because I didn’t actually make it as a taco, but they, too, would be a nice addition if you were going that route.

Quinoa is amazing, but I do have a tip for cooking quinoa, especially for those at high altitudes like me (aka People Who Live Where Water Doesn’t Boil Properly).  Cooking quinoa (and rice, too, for that matter) at high altitudes usually requires more water and time than the instructions on the bag tell you.  (Why? Because water boils at a lower temperature at higher altitude, so the water isn’t as hot, and therefore it takes longer to cook — meanwhile your water is happily boiling away and threatening to leave your quinoa dry and scorched.)  I think I ended up using at least 50% more water than the instructions said by the time I was done, and it took a little longer than the suggested cooking time.  Don’t be afraid to go rogue and add a little extra water and let it cook a little longer.  A frequent mistake with quinoa is not cooking it quite long enough, leaving you with crunchy or al dente quinoa.  If that’s your thing, great.  But I like nice, soft, fluffy quinoa, more like rice.  So, cook it until it is light and fluffy.

That said…This recipe is delicious, quick, and easy.  I give it a big thumbs up!