Have you ever tried quinoa? If not…well, you should. Here are some health facts about quinoa which I’ve decided is a super food…they actually call it the mother grain:
- Complete protein because it contains a balanced set of essential amino acids…it’s high in lysine, methionine and cystine…this is rare among plant foods
- Contains an average of 16.2% protein compared to 7.5% in rice, 9.9% in millet and 14% for some wheat…some varieties of quinoa are more than 20% protein
- Gluten-free
- Good source of dietary fiber and phosphorous
- High in manganese, magnesium and iron
A friend of mine (thanks, Kristen!) told me about a quinoa salad that she makes and I knew I had to try it out. The original recipe can be found here but I think my directions (and small adjustments) make it easier to follow and even better to eat. This is the best non-lettuce salad I’ve ever had!
Black Bean & Tomato Quinoa
- Cook 1 cup of quinoa according to the instructions. Once it’s cooked, rinse it under cold water using a tiny-holed colander or a sieve of some sort. Dump into a big bowl. The first time I made this, I used regular quinoa. The second time I made this, I used red quinoa. Try experimenting with different types. I haven’t noticed huge differences between the types but I think I might like the red more than the regular.
- Drain and rinse a can of black beans and add to the big bowl of quinoa.
- Chop up a bunch of cilantro (about 1/4 cup), 2 medium tomatoes and slice a bunch of green onions and add to the big bowl of quinoa and black beans. Mix everything together.
- In a separate small bowl, melt 2 Tbsp of unsalted butter and let cool.
- To the butter, add 2 tsp lime zest, 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and mix well.
- Pour the dressing over the big bowl of quinoa salad and mix well.
- You may want to add salt and pepper to taste when you go to eat it.
This makes a TON of salad….if you break it into 3 servings, it’s 12 points plus per serving. If you break i into 4 servings, it’s 9 points plus per serving. Supplement your salad with a lean protein ( I bet this is awesome with salmon) for a great dinner or just have some fruit with it for lunch.
Though I do love the salad as is, I think I might try and kick it up a notch next time. Instead of green onion, I think red onion might be good. I just have to figure out what kind of spices to add. Maybe a hint of cayenne?
Comments
I am a big fan of quinoa – this salad looks great and I’ll have to try it!
Love the new layout Rachel! I love quinoa – but would probably add some diced chipotle pepper to kick it up a notch – a little of that goes a long way.
Yum!
It’s so good! I use prerinsed quinoa, then you just toss everything together when it is done.
I like the idea of the chipotle pepper. You could also add a bit of cumin. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for the recipe, Rachel. I’ve been collecting black bean recipes and this looks great!
I came over from Biz’s site. 🙂
Welcome, Satu!
I totally agree that we need some easy detox diet to detoxify our entire body. Detox Diet reflects healthy body and mind!
Samantha Marion
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[…] I will subsist on eggs, nuts, chicken, fruits, veggies and quinoa. My favorite salad recipe, Black Bean & Tomato Quinoa Salad, will work into this plan just fine…I just have to leave out the butter and make my black […]
[…] it ever nice to not be in the kitchen! Breakfast was a spinach and goat cheese omelet, lunch was Black Bean & Tomato Quinoa Salad and snacks during the day consisted of nectarines and hard boiled eggs. I never got around to the […]