Made this last night as an side to Terry's Chipolte Lime Flank Steak (which would have been perfect if I hadn't overcooked it a little). I made the recipe as writen and felt it was a little blah. So I doubled the lime, cumin, and coriander and then added a jalapeno and wow, it got yummy fast. The quinoa and black beans are a very hearty base. All it needed was enough added flavor to give it some ooomph. I wouldn't call it amazing, but it was good and satisfying, very easy to put together, and really does better the next day for a satisfying high-protein veggie lunch.
Here is the recipe. EmilyCat had posted it a while back and I just cut and pasted it from her thread.
Quinoa Black Bean Salad: Moosewood Lowfat
Higher in protein than any other grain, quioa is chewy with a delicious, almost nutlike flavor. Bolstered with the nutritional power of black beans, this salad is hearty, healthy eating at its best.
1/3 c. quinoa
1 c. water
1 t. olive oil
4 t. fresh lime juice, or more to taste
1/4 t. ground cumin
1/4 t. ground coriander
1 T. finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. minced scallions
1 1/2 c. cooked black beans (15 ounce can, drained)
2 c. diced tomatoes
1 c. diced bell peppers (red, green, yellow or a mixture)
2 t. minced fresh green chiles
salt and ground black pepper to taste
lemon or lime wedges
Rinse the quinoa well in a sieve under cool running water In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, cover, and simmer on low heat, until all of the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the oil, lime juice, cumin, coriander, cilntro and scallions. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, bell peppers and chiles. Add the cooled quinoa, and salt and pepper to taste, and combine thoroughly. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges.
Nutrition Info from the cookbook:
Cal 197 fiber 3.4 fat 2.8 per 1 cup (that is 3.5 WW points)
