Black Bean & Quinoa Salad

This has become our new summer favorite!  Black beans and quinoa are both packed full of protein and fiber, making it not only delicious, but very filling and great for a healthy digestive system.  One cup of this tasty salad contains 13 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber!  The added veggies and spices give this salad great taste, color and an array of your essential nutrients for the day.  David calls it the Beanoa Salad :-)

Black Bean & Quinoa Salad
Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 20 min
Serves 4-6

Ingredients for the dressing:

• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tbsp Agave Nectar (or Honey, but I prefer Agave as it’s low-glycemic)
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• 1 Clove Pressed Garlic
  

Ingredients for the Salad:

• 3/4 Cup Dry Quinoa
• 1 Can Whole Black Beans
• 1 Red Bell Pepper
• 1 Handful Cilantro
• 1 Bunch Green Onion (about 7-9 onions)

Instructions:

1. Combine all dressing ingredients in bowl and set aside to allow the garlic to diffuse.
2. Cook quinoa according to package instructions.  (With whole grains in general, double the amount of water for the amount of grains you are cooking, combine water and grains in a pot, bring to a boil, then simmer until the water is cooked into the grains.  In this case, 1.5 cups of water and 3/4 cup quinoa should take about 15-20 minutes to cook. Careful to not let it burn!)
3. While the quinoa is cooking, chop the red bell pepper and green onion into small pieces.
4. Drain and rinse the black beans.  Make sure to give them a good run under the water and drain out completely.
5. Give the cilantro a medium chop.
6. Combine all ingredients and dressing and fold together. Salt and black pepper to taste. (Can be served warm or chilled, and keeps in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.)
   

This salad makes a AWESOME vegetarian Taco Salad, just replace any meat you would normally use with the recipe above.  We serve it over chopped greens with hot sauce and guacamole!