Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Ingredients

Salad:

2 cups uncooked quinoa

3 1/2 cups water

Sea salt

1 cup chopped cilantro

5 green onions, sliced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

2 cups cooked black beans*

3/4 cup mango, diced (fresh or frozen)

Dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Drizzle of natural sweetener: honey, pure maple syrup, blue agave or 5 drops stevia

Directions

Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer under warm water. Place in medium pot with water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer about 20 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove cooked quinoa from pot, place in a large bowl to cool. Combine olive oil, lime juice, cumin and sea salt in small bowl. Whisk together and pour over cooled quinoa, toss well with fork. Add cilantro, green onions, peppers, mango and black beans. Toss again.

Canned beans:

Rinse one 15 oz. can of beans in strainer and use immediately.

Dried beans:

Soak 3/4 cup of dried bean in water overnight and drain. Do not cook in soaking water. Boil approximately 2 hours in plenty of unsalted water, drain and let cool.

Recipe adapted by Lisa Markley, RD