This house is full of what I call “equal opportunity eaters.” We love our food, and we love eating it! I thought I’d share a simple, healthy recipe that was a big hit around here.
We made this beautiful Mexican Quinoa Salad for lunch yesterday after Mass. It’s as tasty as it is easy on the eyes. I found the original recipe from “The Garden Grazer” blog. My only revision was adding some roasted chicken breasts that I chopped up. I’m from Nebraska, so a salad doesn’t really count as an entree around these parts unless there’s meat in it! 😉
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups black beans (or a 15 oz. can)
1 1/2 cups corn (I used frozen, thawed)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 red bell pepper, diced
5 green onions, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (more to taste)
(Optional: 1 lb. roasted chicken breasts with desired seasoning, chopped)
{For the dressing}
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice from 1 lime
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Rinse and drain quinoa. Add to pot with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes or until water has absorbed and quinoa is tender.
In a small bowl, add all five dressing ingredients and whisk together to thoroughly combine.
In a large bowl, add the cooked quinoa with all other salad ingredients.
Pour dressing over the top and toss to combine.
Can serve immediately or chill before serving.
Jane like it so much she said, “I can’t get enough of this stuff!”
Here’s Walt crying after he dropped a spoonful on the floor and Monty ate it. “Monty! No! THAT’S MY QUINOA!”
We liked it so much that we had it for lunch today. Walt thought it was equally delicious the second time around, and so did the rest of us.
After yesterday, Philip is a quinoa convert. He says he’s going to create a BLT quinoa salad. If it has bacon, I’m sure we’ll all adore it, because, ya know, bacon. Maybe the bacon will negate the nutritional goodness that the quinoa offers, but I vote that it’d be worth it. We’ll go low sodium on the bacon!
Do you have a favorite quinoa recipe?
I've used quinoa in my tabbouleh instead of bulgur wheat. Just depends if I have it on hand (quinoa is not cheap…), but I don't work from a recipe, just from memory of what my family serves. Proportions are whatever you like, but chop up:<br />- a big tomato or two<br />- a big cucumber or a couple little ones (no peel, unless they're little baby ones)<br />- a big green bell pepper
Oh, Kiley, that sounds like a fantastic summer recipe. I have grandiose dreams of a vegetable garden in our next home. It'd be amazing to whip up a recipe like this with veggies from our own garden. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Catherine! So glad the quinoa salad was such a big hit at your house! The pictures of your kids are adorable!! Hooray for quinoa! 😉
Catherine, I just saw this and am so making it tonight! My kids are not too "keen" (ha) on quinoa, but I am desperately trying to convert them. 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing! One of your Catholic Mom fans, Angie C.