Southwestern-style quinoa salad for a lunchtime protein punch on Meatless Monday

By Amber Taufen Mon., Aug. 27 2012 at 7:58 AM

Categories: Meatless Monday

Quinoa is one of the best sources of protein for a non-meat-eater. It's a complete protein, and when you mix in black beans and veggies with a little lime juice and toasted cumin, you've got a salad mix that tastes quite a bit like a Chipotle burrito bowl and is definitely more nutritious. This recipe was tweaked to our tastes from Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook.

You will need:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 can black beans
1/3 bunch fresh cilantro
3 ears fresh corn
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno
2 limes
3 green onions
1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1. Measure out the cup of quinoa into a fine strainer and rinse thoroughly with water. (Quinoa has a bitter flavor on its husk that can permeate the dish if you don't rinse it.) Place the quinoa in a medium-sized saucepan with the 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. When the water is bubbling, lower the heat to a low simmer and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the quinoa is fluffy and has absorbed the water, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients; when it's finished cooking, turn it off and let it cool until the last step.

2. Rinse the bell pepper thoroughly and pat dry.

Roast the pepper over an open flame until its skin is black. (You can use jarred roasted red pepper or roast it in the oven if you don't have a gas stove.)