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Monday, June 4, 2012

black bean avocado quinoa salad

This is one of my favorite warm-weather dishes. It's full of veggies and whole grains.We haven't been able to find cilantro dressing, so we end up making our own and those directions are also below. The best part about this salad is that when I make this just for my husband and me, we have a good amount left over for lunches the next two days or so. And when I bring it for a large group, there's plenty to go around.
ingredients:
1 cup quinoa (cooked with 2 cups veggie or chicken broth)
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained + rinsed
2.5 cups roasted corn kernels (Trader Joe's makes frozen roasted corn and I used that)
1 avocado, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 yellow or red onion
3/4 cup cilantro salad dressing*
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
2 T lime juice
salt + pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil

directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions (takes about 15 minutes). We used red quinoa, but that's not necessary
While quinoa is cooking, combine beans, corn, avocado, tomatoes and onion in one bowl. Make cilantro dressing if it isn't pre-made (see below for our cilantro dressing)
Toss bean/corn mixture gently with dressing
Add salt + pepper, lime juice and toss again.
When quinoa is cooked, toss with 1/4 olive oil. Allow quinoa to cool (we chilled our Wilton Armetale bowl in the freezer to expedite the cooling process and it worked).
Combine bean/corn mixture with quinoa and toss gently.

*Cilantro salad dressing (makes about 1 cup)
Combine the following in a blender until smooth:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup half + half
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro

3 comments:

  1. This looks so delicious! Do you think it would also taste good with regular quinoa? I've never heard of red quinoa...

    ReplyDelete
  2. this is almost exactly what i made this weekend, except i made a vinegaraitte with olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, cumin and cilantro (and sea salt). we have TONS leftover. good thing i love it!(wish joel would eat it.. pickiest eater ever).

    ReplyDelete

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