Southwest Quinoa Salad

I LOVE quionoa! (Pronounced: Keen-wah) This magic little grain-like seed from South America is packed with protein and fiber. It's a complex carbohydrate, which means the sugars are slowly released into your bloodstream. To be honest, I think I love it more so because of it's health benefits than its flavor. It isn't as bland as rice, so you have to either love the flavor or know a good recipe for it. This southwest salad takes quinoa to a whole new level. The tanginess from the ingredients mixed in present a perfect flavor combination. This recipe is super versatile. I've made it without meat and think it's wonderful. My husband, on the other hand, prefers to eat it with grilled chicken. Either way, it's packed with protein and complex carbohydrates to make your body happy.

The Recipe
 
1 cup quinoa
1 15-oz can black beans drained and rinsed
1 1/2 c. frozen corn, thawed
1/2 cup green onion, chopped
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (optional)
2 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cumin
zest of 2 small limes
1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes worth)-Lemons work fine too.
2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Rinse quinoa thoroughly and add to a pot with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until all the water is absorbed; set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions, tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro and lime zest.

Season the quinoa with the salt, pepper and cumin, tossing to combine.

Whisk together the lime juice and olive oil. pour over the quinoa, tossing to combine. Add the quinoa to the remaining ingredients, gently folding to combine. 

If you like spicy, add some Tapatio or your favorite hot sauce! I also love topping this with chopped avocado!!!!

Here We Go!

I am so excited to embark on a journey in the world of food blogging. I'm not a chef! I just love food and cooking. I receive more pleasure from shopping the aisles of Trader Joes and Whole Foods than I do from shopping at Anthropologie! I've traveled a bit around the world tasting the goodness the world has to offer. I grew up in southern Virginia eating chicken and dumplings, carolina bbq, and lima beans. I lived in Southern California eating sushi, salads, and fish tacos. I also lived in China where we ate lots of noodles, rice, and well, some rather interesting things like duck blood soup and pig brain. Don't worry, I didn't like those things then and I certainly won't blog about them now. I think you'll find my taste in food is a good mix of many cultures. I graduated with a degree in health science, so I love a recipe with a good nutrition punch. My husband and I now live in Utah and have three beautiful daughters. I also love to throw parties, so you'll see an occasional blog post on parties and food ideas. My motivation for cooking now, is to feed my growing family nourishing, yet delicious meals! So lets get started, people! Grab your spatulas and lets get to it!