Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

A very festive dish! The flavors blend nicely together. It's a wonderful alternative to rice or couscous. The Quinoa seed is considered a supergrain and an almost perfect protein. You could easily reduce the amount of olive oil in this dish to bring down the fat content. The original recipe says it serves 4 to 6, however, its more of a crowd pleaser. I would say you could serve 10 with it easily.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 1  cup quinoa
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 1⁄3 cup olive oil
• 1 1⁄2 cups  cooked black beans
• 1 1⁄2 cups corn, thawed if frozen
• 3⁄4 cup  finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1  jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1⁄4 cup  finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1⁄3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Wash the quinoa in several changes of cold water, until the water runs clear, and then drain well. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium in a saucepan. Add the drained quinoa and cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked (10 to 15 minutes.).
2. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and allow to cool. Add the beans, corn, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and cilantro and toss well. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cumin, garlic and salt. Add the remaining 1/3 cup of olive oil in a stream while whisking. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve right away or keep covered in the refrigerator overnight (bring to room temperature before serving.).