Southwestern Quinoa Wraps with Chipotle Dressing

For those of you who do not know what quinoa is, here is a little background info. Quinoa, pronounced ki:nwa, is a little grain-like seed that is a complete protein. It has a slightly nutty flavor and is light and fluffy when cooked. It is pretty healthy for you...it has all sorts of vitamins and minerals and such, I guess. I am no expert. I just found this info on the web.

I got a large bag of quinoa at Costco. I split it with a friend since I wasn't sure if we were going to like it and I wasn't about to bring home a 10 pound bag of something we weren't going to eat. I am assuming that you can also get quinoa at your local grocery store, or a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. One thing to keep in mind is to read the packaging to determine if the quinoa has already been processed to remove the bitter outside shell. If not, make sure that you soak and rinse it before you cook it.

Since I had a ton of quinoa in my pantry, I have been looking for recipes to use it in. I found this recipe at Epicurean Mom and it looked really good so I thought I would give it a try. Turns out it is really good. I forgot to put the bell peppers on it. I realized it right as we sat down to eat but figured we would skip it so I didn't have to get up and slice them all up when our son was gunning to eat already. I think the bell peppers would only make it that much better.
 

Southwestern Quinoa Wraps with Chipotle Dressing
Makes 4 wraps

For the Chipotle Dressing:
3/4 cup plain yogurt (The original recipe called for Greek yogurt, but I had plain in the fridge so I went with it.)
1 teaspoon adobo sauce* (I added a little more. Taste and then add a little at a time. That adobo sauce has quite the kick to it.)
1 chipotle chili, seeded and chopped*
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lime, juiced
pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients together. Mix until well incorporated, set aside.

For the Wraps:
1 cup quinoa
2-2 1/2 cups chicken broth (or veggie broth)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained, warmed or cold

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
pinch of salt
1 avocado, sliced
1 can sweet white corn, drained
2 bell peppers, grilled and sliced into strips (any color will work)
10" flour totrillas

Heat chicken broth and quinoa in a small sauce pan until just boiling. Turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, or until just tender. Fluff with a fork. Keep warm and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat, add onion and pinch of salt. Cook until browned and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Keep warm and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place drained corn in baking dish, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake until just browning, about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Don't forget to grill and slice the bell peppers! And slice the avocados.

To Assemble:
 Slather chipotle sauce over the middle of the tortilla. Scoop a heaping spoonful of black beans, quinoa, caramelized onions and corn on top. Place bell pepper strips over the top and finish with avocado slices. Roll and enjoy!


*Buy the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They can be found in the international/ethnic food isle.