Get Your Diet Back on Track With Quinoa Salads

Courtesy of We are not Martha

Quinoa makes the perfect salads!

How's that New Year's resolution going? You know, the one where you're going to eat healthier? Don't quit it now! There are plenty of foods out there that will allow you to eat healthier, while still enjoying your meals. Quinoa is one of my favorite healthy foods that can always be made into a delicious meal.

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. It's also easy to digest and is full of high-quality protein and fiber. It's often thought of as a superfood and one of the best things you can eat on a daily basis. Though it looks like a grain (kind of like rice), it's actually a seed related to the spinach family.

Quinoa works perfectly as the basis of many different salads. But it's so versatile that quinoa also works as a sweet dish, too. One of my favorite things to do with quinoa is to cook it with cinnamon, blackberries, and agave nectar for a delicious and hearty breakfast. But don't get me wrong, quinoa as savory works perfectly too; I could eat a different quinoa salad every day of the week. Here's the recipe for one of my favorites.

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad:

* 1 1/2 C quinoa
* 1 1/2 C cooked black beans. rinsed it canned
* 1 1/2 T red-wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 C cooked corn (I used frozen, but for fresh, use about 2 large ears)
* 3/4 C green bell pepper, finely chopped
* 2 pickled jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced
* 1/4 crushed fresh coriander, finally chopped (I used the spice, rather than fresh)

Dressing:

* 5 T fresh lime juice
* 1 t salt
* 1 1/4 t ground cumin, or to taste
* 1/3 C olive oil

Here's what to do:

1) Cook the quinoa according to the box's directions (generally boiling like rice).

2) Cook your corn if you're using frozen and rinse black beans if they're canned. Mix the black beans with vinegar, salt, and pepper.

3) Cut up bell pepper, as well as jalapenos. If you want extra spice, leave some of the seeds in the jalapeno, otherwise scrape them all out.

4) Add the quinoa to a bowl, along with black beans, corn, and coriander.

5) Make the dressing by whisking together the lime juice, salt, and cumin. Add the olive oil in a stream, whisking the whole time.

6) Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss well, along with salt and pepper.

The salad is super easy to throw together and helps you get in your protein (from the quinoa) and lots of veggies. Something in there you don't like? Simply replace with a vegetable you'd rather be eating. For an extra kick, add in some feta cheese. The salad should last you all week and is the perfect take-to-work lunch!

Welcome to the wonderful world of quinoa; you'll never want to leave!