Vegan Recipe – Black Bean Quinoa Salad with Carrots and Cilantro

 

Here is a quick and easy qunioa salad you can make any time of year. It’s packed with protein, and what do you know, it’s good for you too! 😉

Quinoa Salad Ingredients 

1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 {15-ounce} can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup packed spinach leaves, chopped
1/4 cup chives, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Dressing Ingredients

3 tablespoons lime juice {I used bottled}
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil {I use ZOE brand}
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon pure agave {Amazon has great deals on Agave}
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Place the quinoa and water in a rice cooker and cook just as you would rice.

If you do not have a rice cooker simply add the quinoa and broth in a saucepan, bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook covered, until the liquid has been absorbed and quinoa is tender {about 20 minutes}.

Once the qunioa is done cooking, let it cool until it comes to room temperature. Place the qunioa in a serving bowl and fold in the black beans, cilantro, carrots, spinach, chives, and salt and pepper.

For the dressing simply whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl and pour over quinoa. Stir to combine and chill until ready to serve.

Cooking With Quinoa: the Supergrain