Quinoa Black Bean Salad
This delicious quinoa salad recipe has a mexican flavor, with black beans, lime, cilantro and jalapeno. Quinoa black bean salad can be served warm or chilled, and keeps well. This recipe is similar to Tabouleh, but quinoa is both heartier and sturdier than couscous. Quinoa black bean salad is a great one dish meal, and also goes well with crusty artisan bread or tortillas chips with salsa, quacamole etc.
Quinoa has a nutty flavor and texture similar to rice. It's good source of complete protein, vitamins and minerals - 25% of the daily iron and magnesium requirement, 10% for Vit E, potassium, and fiber, 20 or so amino acids. Unlike wheat or rice, quinoa is a good source of lysine. Quinoa is also gluten free, and nutritionally higher than wheat for almost everything except complex carbohydrates. It also has more fat than most grains.
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups cold water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 garlic clove, minced, OR 1 tsp garlic powder
1 red pepper, sliced thin
1 large ripe tomato
1 green pepper, sliced thin
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
Dressing:
2 Tblsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
Fresh ground pepper
Pinch cayenne or chili powder
2 Tblsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Optional: 1/2 cup sliced olives
1. The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refrigerated
2. Soak the quinoa 1/2 hour in cold water
3. Rinse very thoroughly in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer
4. Place in 2 qt pot with 1 1/2 c. water and 1/2 tsp salt
5. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes
6. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes covered
7. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool.
8. Saute jalapeno, fresh garlic, in 2 Tbsp oil until garlic is browned, pepper and celery are softened
9. Add the green and red peppers and saute briefly
10. Add the cumin and coriander, cook and stir 5 minutes
11. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
12. Gently combine sauteed veggies, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
13. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro and scallions, and serve warm or cover and chill for later
Helpful Quinoa Hints:
- Quinoa has high oil content, so should be stored in the fridge or freezer to avoid becoming rancid.
- A tight fitting lid is essential for even cooking.
- Quinoa is coated with saponin, which will give it a bitter taste unless you wash it very thoroughly - those tiny flaky bits in the rinse water are the saponin.
- Because of it's high protein and oil content, quinoa is a satisfying meal with a few nuts or beans and veggies added.