Cooking with Pete and Barb: Memorial Day quinoa and black bean salad

"There's always something slightly unhealthy about Memorial Day weekend barbecues, with the big steaks, brats, hot dogs, bowls of chips, potato salads, sodas and beer, laments Barb about the upcoming holiday. In other words, if you're going to eat until you waddle, at least supplement the stomach bloat with something healthy, like a quinoa salad. "This is a delicious recipe from one of our chefs, Brian Bourgault, that uses an ancient super grain, quinoa, and the slightly Indian spices give it tons of flavor," says Barb.

Quinoa and black bean salad

Ingredients

12 ounces quinoa
1 tablespoon salt
1 quart water
2 ounces red onion, diced small
4 ounces yellow or red bell pepper, diced small
1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped
1 20-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
1/4 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/4 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Bring water and salt to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce to a simmer and continue simmering, covered, for 15 minutes.
2. When the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, spread it out on a baking tray and cool in the fridge.
3. While cooling, whisk together all the spices, salt and pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to make the dressing.
4. Add the quinoa to the cilantro, onions, peppers and black beans and toss with dressing.