Black Beans and Quinoa

After coming home from Thanksgiving I felt like I needed to fast for a while. I had definitely consumed my calorie quota for about 6 weeks. But, my family didn't feel the same way. They still wanted to eat. The nerve! I figured if I couldn't fast then I would make something healthy. A year or two ago I found this recipe on Allrecipes and I thought it was so good. I think the best thing about it is that it is pretty basic so it lends itself well to lots of different modifications. This time I made it exactly according to the recipe. To serve I put it over raw, shredded cabbage with avocado and cilantro on top. I have also served it with salsa and queso fresco on top, or with pico and shredded cheese on top. The possibilities are endless.

Quinoa and Black Beans

from allrecipes.com

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.
2. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes,
3. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.

Bon Appetit!

Jen