Stir Crazy Cooking: Tacos when you're out of almost everything? You bet.

Taco Tuesday? Amateurs. Every day is potentially a taco day in the Findlay-Shamie household. Name a meal, and my husband and I have a taco - or a taco-adjacent item - that one of us makes for that meal.

But these are challenging culinary times, friends: Frequent grocery runs aren't an option, and store shelves are pretty picked over anyway (Fellow Northwest suburbanites: You are eating so much Rice-a-Roni)

We just have to make do. But making do doesn't have to be another frozen pizza ... or worse. So put down those Pop-Tarts, pal, and just toss that salami with a questionable provenance. It's taco quinoa to the rescue!

If you have a few common spices, quinoa, and broth, you're set. If you don't have the broth, use salted water, and if you don't have the individual spices, you can use a packet of taco seasoning. It's really good mixed with a can of black beans. Put it on tortillas for tacos or in a salad. Do yourself a favor and double or triple the batch, then freeze it in individual portions; you'll always have the beginnings of a healthy meal on hand.

Taco Quinoa Filling

1 cup of vegetable broth (you could also use beef or chicken or salted water)

½ cup uncooked quinoa

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

⅛ teaspoon cayenne

(Or use a packet of taco seasoning, if you don't have the individual spices)

Combine all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low; gently simmer until all liquid evaporates - roughly 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes, then fluff with fork.

Makes 4 to 6 servings, depending on how hungry you are.

Adapted from "Happy Herbivore Light & Lean" by Lindsay S. Nixon