Quinoa Taco Salad

Get your Mexican fix with this healthy and easy Quinoa Taco Salad. This meal with inspire you to incorporate more plant-based meals into your life that are full of flavor and good-for-you ingredients.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a cookbook collector. Granted, I’m pretty sure all the cookbooks I “owned” belonged to my mom until I moved away for college, but if we count those, my collection has always been pretty epic.

I have such strong memories of my Mom flipping through her cookbooks on the weekends planning for her next dinner party (she likes to have the menu set a few weeks before…why did I not inherit this planfulness?!). Cookbooks have always induced positive associations for me.

That’s why every time a cookbook appears in my mailbox, I’m like a giddy schoolgirl who just stocked up on a new round of highlighters. And lately, my mailbox has been overflowing with amazing cookbook inspo.

I’ve decided that 2017 is the year of cookbooks, because my collection has nearly doubled in the last two months. What I’m also realizing is that almost all of them are plant-based! As you guys know, I’m not 100% plant-based but over the last few years I’ve drastically reduced my animal consumption (1-2 days a week) and have incorporated far more plant-based meals. Of course, I’m always flexible and changing so I don’t hold myself to any kind of label but I just love me some vegetables and their superpower-inducing qualities.

Some of you may remember Jessica Murnane who was on episode 3 of the podcast. Jess was one of my dream guests and I’m grateful to our mutual friend Katie who made the introduction. Jess’ episode is unbelievably refreshing and inspiring as she tells her story about transitioning her diet to help heal her Stage 4 Endometriosis.

That diet change is what inspired her to start a movement called “One Part Plant”, which has since morphed into a website, a podcast and now a cookbook! Her mission is simple: Encourage people to start eating one plant-based meal a day. And her cookbook is finally here to help make this mission even easier for me and you.

A couple things.

1) I’m so inspired by Jess’ not-at-all preachy approach towards health. Her entire life changed because of this one decision she made with her diet, but she doesn’t rub it in your face. She knows I’m not plant-based (I prefer plant-foward I guess?!) and has never tried to convert me or anyone else to her approach. She wants people to just TRY eating one plant-based meal a day. And sometimes that can be as simple as swapping out your milk for almond milk or snacking on nuts instead of a scone. I immediately like anyone who doesn’t believe in forcing an all-or-nothing approach on other people.

2) Her new cookbook, One Part Plant is incredible. The recipes are simple, approachable and for me and any other cookbook collectors out there, it’s insanely beautiful too. Before launching One Part Plant she was a designer so as you can imagine, the aesthetic is on point.

I wish I could share every recipe from the book, but Jess was kind enough to let me share a recipe so you can get a sense of what I mean by approachable, plant-based cooking. This Quinoa Taco Salad came together so quickly and it’s one of those salads that just gets better each day as it sits and melds together. And once the quinoa was cooked, it literally took 10 mins to make.

So here’s my PSA to you. If you’re looking for easy recipes, buy this book. If you’re looking to eat more plant-based meals that taste delish, buy this book. Or if you’re a cookbook fiend and want a beautiful book to add to your collection, buy this book.

You won’t regret it! P.S. Jess also captured the entire experience of landing, creating and selling a cookbook in her new podcast called The Cookbook Deal. It’s incredible and so so entertaining! Check er’ out.

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Have you checked out One Part Plant, yet? Do you enjoy plant-based cooking?