quinoa

Summertime is a perfect time for a light and fresh quinoa salad. I made this recipe for a birthday party at the office, and it was a hit!

If you haven’t heard of quinoa (KEEN-wah) it is a grain that is GLUTEN FREE & high in protein and fiber.

Let me know what you think if you give this recipe a try…Enjoy!

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Serves: 8
Makes: 8 cups

INGREDIENTS:
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
• Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 ¼ cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1 cup cooked black beans, drained
• 1 plum tomato, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• ¼ cup finely chopped red onion

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, whisk lemon juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper; set aside
2. In saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil; add quinoa and cumin. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes, Uncover, fluf with a fork and let cool for at least 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, corn kernels, beans, tomato, zucchini and onion. Pour lemon-cilantro dressing over top and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate salad for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.