Red Quinoa and Black Bean Vegetable Salad

Light, fresh, and packed with protein and healthy fats, this tangy salad will have you dreaming of Spring and Summer.

Yield: ~5 cups

For the salad:

1 cup uncooked Red quinoa
1 (14oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
2 Green Onions, chopped
1 cup fresh corn (optional) *see note
1 small avocado, chopped into 1 inch pieces


For the dressing:

4-5 tbsp of fresh lime juice (Juice from 2 small limes)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin, or more to taste


Directions:

1. Cook 1 cup Red Quinoa according to package directions.

2. While quinoa is cooking, prepare the chopped vegetables and whisk together the dressing.

3. Allow quinoa to cool after cooking for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the beans and vegetables and toss well.

4. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Bring salad to room temperature before serving. Keep fresh in a sealed container for 1-2 days. Makes about 5 cups.

Note: I defrosted and drained frozen corn before adding it to the salad, but the result was rubbery corn. I would suggest using fresh corn only, if the season applies, otherwise I wouldn’t bother with the frozen stuff.



Grab that beautiful cup of Red Quinoa and cook it according to package directions.




Red Quinoa is so much more fun than the regular kind!




Chop your vegetables and rinse and drain the black beans…
Assemble the dressing ingredients:




Juice the limes to make 4-5 tablespoons.




Add all dressing ingredients into a bowl.




Whisk away!
When the quinoa is cooked, add in the chopped vegetables and beans and stir well.




I just dumped everything into the cooking pot, but I supposed you could transfer it to a bowl if you wanted to!
Pour on the dressing and mix. Serve at room temperature.




This salad is irresistible! It is light, fresh, and has a wonderful tangy kick from the lime juice. It also makes a great lunch and has a lot of staying power thanks to the protein-rich black beans and quinoa and healthy fats from the avocado and olive oil.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 days.




Recipe via " Oh She Glows "
http://ohsheglows.com/2011/01/21/red-quinoa-and-black-bean-vegetable-salad/