Quinoa? What is quinoa? After buying a large bag of it (I like to try new things) I had better find out, eh?
Quinoa is sometimes considered a grain but it is actually a seed. It has a slightly nutty flavor and can be prepared like rice or barley. The texture is soft — almost like couscous. A nutritionist I know called it “the perfect food” and says it is filled with vitamins, proteins, amino acids, minerals, and fiber. It also contains the essential omega-3 fatty acids which provides benefits to the heart. Sounds pretty close to a perfect food, eh?
I like the texture of quinoa — it feels soft in my mouth and doesn’t taste heavy in my belly.
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, well rinsed
- Salt
- 1 1/2 cups cooked or 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped but not too small
- 1/2 cup minced red onion
- 1/2 cup basil
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Add the water to a large saucepan and bring it to a boil over high heat
- Add the quinoa, salt the water and return to a boil
- When it’s simmering, reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and allow the quinoa to cook through (until the water is absorbed) for about 20 minutes
- Once cooked, transfer the quinoa to a large bowl
- Add the black beans, tomatoes, onion, basil then stir it all together
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, salt (to your taste) and pepper — this will be the dressing
- Pour 1/2 of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Taste and see if the flavor is right for you
- Continue adding the dressing until you feel comfortable with the taste and the consistency, ie, not too oily tasting
Serves approximately 10 as a side dish.
The recipe is from the cookbook I received as a gift, 1000 Vegan Recipes.
I made the following changes to the original recipe:
- Used basil instead of parsley
- Use red wine vinegar instead of sherry vinegar
The recipe says it feeds 4 but you have to eat a LOT of this salad for it to feed four. I used it as a side dish so had lots left over. I covered the leftovers with plastic and the next day the salad still tasted fine. However, like other salads I’ve made that have a dressing, my preference would be make the salad and add the dressing a few minutes before you’re ready to serve it. I find it tastes fresher that way.
Another very good recipe from my new cookbook.
