Quinoa Fresca

Fresh southwest flavors bring light dish to life!

We just spent a week at my family’s lake house in Minnesota, canoeing, tubing, water skiing, kayaking, reading, and of course, eating. A lot. When we take these vacations it’s my family and my dad’s two sisters’ families and everyone has a night to cook.  Well my aunt Jan brought a recipe similar to this along and let me say, it was delicious! And also probably the healthiest thing we ate all vacation.

My aunt’s recipe for this dish also included raw diced tomatoes, avocado and corn, which is definitely an option here, or even jalapeño. The first two I don’t add because I’m sadly intolerant. The corn tastes delicious but I don’t feel the necessity to add an extra grain with the quinoa.

My favorite thing about making quinoa salads is that they are so versatile and you can basically put whatever you have lying around in them! The other great thing about this recipe is that the dressing is light – NO oil! So this is a great filling but healthy meal and so easy to pack on the go for work!

Note: I eat this dish cold or room temp so remember to either make the quinoa or the whole dish ahead because you want the quinoa to cool before mixing everything in.

The Innards:

• 1 cup dry Quinoa (cooked)
• 1 cup Vegetable Broth, optional
• 1-2 cups Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 Pepper, diced
• 1 small Red Onion, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh Cilantro, chopped
• 4 Fresh Limes juiced, and zest of 1
• S+P

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

How to Make It:

1. Boil 1 cup vegetable broth with 1 cup water (or just 2 cups water) and cook quinoa per instructions.

2. While the quinoa is cooking chop up all your veggies.

3. Let the quinoa cool (completely if possible), then combine all of your veggies and the zest of 1 lime and the juice of 4 and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Bon Appétit!