Southwest Quinoa Bowl with Soy Curls

🥘 Ingredients

• ancho or regular chili powder 1 ½ tsp
• ground cumin 1 tsp
• chipotle chili flakes 1 tsp
• organic brown sugar 1 tsp
• dried oregano ½ tsp
• garlic powder ½ tsp
• onion powder ¼ tsp
• Cooked Quinoa 2 ¼ cup
• water 2 cup
• Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base 2 tsp
• soy curls 4 oz
• large or small heads of romaine lettuce 1-1.5 lb
• red/orange/yellow bell peppers 2
• black beans 1
• sweet corn 1
• medium lime 1
• Kosher
• soy sauce or tamari 1 ½ tbsp
• cornstarch or arrowroot powder 2 tbsp
• avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil 3 ½ tbsp
• Creamy Cilantro Sauce 12 tbsp

Taco Seasoning for Southwest Bowl

1. 1

   Prepare: ancho or regular chili powder , ground cumin , chipotle chili flakes , organic brown sugar , dried oregano , garlic powder , onion powder .
2. 2

   Add all the ingredients to a small ziploc bag, seal, and shake to combine. Or, add all the ingredients to a small bowl, stir well, and transfer to an airtight container.
3. 3

   Label and store on the counter or in your pantry for up to 6 months.
4. 4

   Gather: Cooked Quinoa , water , Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base , soy curls , large or small heads of romaine lettuce , red/orange/yellow bell peppers , black beans , sweet corn , medium lime , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, soy sauce or tamari , cornstarch or arrowroot powder , avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil , Taco Seasoning ( timer tbsp) (from meal prep), Creamy Cilantro Sauce .
5. 5

   Take the Cooked Quinoa out of the fridge to come to room temperature.
6. 6

   Heat the water and Better Than Bouillon in a medium saucepan until barely simmering, whisking to dissolve the bouillon. Or, heat in the microwave until very warm.
7. 7

   Soak the soy curls (see Note 2). If there are a lot of dusty soy curl crumbs, strain those in a fine mesh sieve, then discard. Add the soy curls to the hot broth and push down to submerge. Remove the pan from the burner. Soak for 10 minutes . Drain the soy curls and spread them out on a large plate to cool off for a few minutes.
8. 8

   While the soy curls soak/cool, prep the other ingredients. Wash and chop the lettuce. Dice the bell peppers. Drain and rinse the beans. Drain the corn. Juice the lime. In a large bowl, toss the chopped lettuce, bell peppers, beans, and corn with several squeezes of lime juice and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Toss well. TIP: If saving leftovers, keep all components separate and only prep as much as you’ll eat.
9. 9

   Squeeze out the liquid. Once the soy curls are no longer super hot, take one handful and cup them between both hands. Positioned over the sink or a bowl, give one firm and long squeeze until the broth goes from a steady stream to droplets. Set aside on a cutting board and repeat. You should have squeezed out a fair amount of liquid ( timer 1/3 cup).
10. 10

    Slice the soy curls. Slice the thicker soy curl pieces lengthwise so they’re timer inch (6 mm) wide (or just roughly chop them)—this helps the soy curls crisp up more.
11. 11

    Batter the soy curls. Add the soy curls to a bowl (or add them to the pot used earlier but wipe it dry first). Add 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, then toss with your hands or a silicone spatula. Add another 1/2 tbsp soy sauce and toss again. Add the last 1/2 tbsp soy sauce and toss well. Then, add the cornstarch and several cracks of pepper, and toss again until well-coated.
12. 12

    Pan-fry the soy curls. Heat a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat with 2 tbsp of oil for 2 minutes . Once shimmering, add the soy curls and stir to coat in the oil. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes, stirring closer to every 90 seconds toward the end of cooking, until browned and crisp on the outside, for a total of 10 to 12 minutes.
13. 13

    While the soy curls are cooking, temper the Taco Seasoning. Heat your smallest saucepan over medium heat with 1 1/2 tbsp oil. After a minute or two, or once shimmering, add the Taco Seasoning. Stir almost constantly for 30 seconds , or until very aromatic. Immediately take off the heat and pour into a medium bowl to cool slightly.
14. 14

    Once the soy curls are done pan-frying, transfer to the bowl with the tempered Taco Seasoning and toss to coat the soy curls. Taste, adding a pinch of salt as needed.
15. 15

    Fold the Cooked Quinoa into the veggies and bean mixture. Pour on the Creamy Cilantro Sauce and toss to coat. Taste, adding another squeeze of lime juice or salt and pepper as needed. Top with the spiced soy curls.