Mexican Quinoa Salad

Inspired by this recipe

You may recall this dish from the countless photos I dumped on you from our Independence Day weekend festivities (here and here).

If not, no worries, man.


I didn't get any photos of the preparation process, but you'll just have to trust me that this recipe simple, and totally worth it.

This salad is fresh and just tastes healthy.  I feel healthier just by eating it.  Is that normal?  Well, welcome to my normal.

Also, there's cumin in the lime dressing, and cumin and limes are a match made in my heaven.

It's a great potluck dish since it's best served at that happy place between chilled and room temperature (well, for my taste buds at least!).

It's also a great party dish because you can make it ahead of time!

Anyhow, here's the secret!

You'll need:

• 2 cups dry quinoa, cooked according to directions on the package
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 3 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped into chunks
• 1 avocado, cut into chunks (tip: sprinkle a little lemon juice or lime juice on the avocado chunks to keep them from turning brown)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped

Dressing:

• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 heaping teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste

After the quinoa has finished being prepared according to package directions, remove from heat and immediately toss in the chopped red onion, beans, and red bell peppers into the pot.  Cover.  This allows the  onions, beans, and bell pepper to soften slightly from the heat of the quinoa.

Once the quinoa has cooled, add in the avocado, garlic, tomatoes, cilantro, and dressing, lightly tossing to mix.

Enjoy!