Need to tell you about the nearly no-cook supper I made for dinner that I am currently going NUTS for – Black Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad!
I saw this recipe on Eat, Live, Run last week and have been this excited to make it ever since. It combines some of my favorite, fresh flavors like avocado, citrus & sweet corn into a salad that is exploding with flavor. Plus there’s only one small cooking component, which makes it ideal for making on stupid-hot days like today
I started by combining the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Chopped red onion,
grapefruit,
(I cut off the peel of the grapefruit with a knife, then slice and dice the flesh. Very easy & quick, plus I just hate peeling citrus fruit!)
black beans,
dried cranberries,
corn on off the cob,
(which is so sweet & tender that you can just eat it raw!)
diced avocado,
and chopped cilantro.
Look at those lay-ahs of flav-ahs!
Next I added the quinoa. Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wa”) is a complete protein that looks very tiny and innocent, but after simmering in a little water and salt, it “boings” out into a puffy spiral.
See?
You can find quinoa at most grocery stores, but if you don’t like it, or can’t find it for some reason, you could make this salad with couscous, Israeli couscous (that would be bomb) or even brown rice.
Finally I drizzled a zippy, homemade Lime Vinaigrette over top,
tossed everything together, and DOVE IN.
I mean, I just don’t even know where to begin!
The first flavor to jump out at me was the super-sweet corn. Then I noticed the chewy dried cranberries, creamy beans, tart grapefruit and mellow avocado.
Flavor & textures gone wild!
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Black Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad
Description
Black Bean, Quinoa & Citrus Salad combines fresh flavors like avocado, citrus and sweet corn in a salad that's exploding with flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry quinoa
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons water
- 1/4 small red onion, minced
- 1 grapefruit, peeled & diced
- 1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries
- 2 ears of corn, kernels cut off cob
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
- Lime Vinaigrette:
- 1-1/2 limes
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
- Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Add to a small saucepan with the water, then bring to a boil. Put a lid on the pan, turn the heat down to medium-low, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water. Remove from heat, let sit for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff quinoa with a fork.
- Combine red onion, grapefruit, black beans, cranberries, corn, avocado, cilantro and cooked quinoa into a large bowl. Toss with lime vinaigrette, sprinkle with additional salt & pepper to taste, then serve.
- For Lime Vinaigrette: juice 1 1/2 limes into a small bowl, then whisk in extra virgin olive oil and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Eat, Live, Run
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
~~~~~
If you could be on a reality show, what one would it be?
I want to be on the Amazing Race. I can’t watch it because I get too jealous! ;) It is also horrifying to know that I am officially too old to be on the Real World. I always thought that would be cool. Maybe in another life!
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Krissy 07.13.2012
I found this recipe right before going to bed last night, pinned immediately, and it’s already in the fridge chilling :)Tastes incredible!!! I love your blog; it’s quickly becoming one of my favorite reads!
Alexandra 06.07.2012
OMG… I just made this salad for the first time (because it looked *so* delicious in the pictures), and I’m FLOORED by how delicious and refreshing it is!
Definitely going to recommend it to friends! Good work :)
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sandra 08.17.2011
How long with this salad last in the refrigerator? I kind funk out(lol) with leftovers. Thanks Sandra
Iowa Girl Eats 08.24.2011
3-4 days, easy!
Meaghan 08.14.2011
Made this early in the morning with plans for it to be my lunch…almost ate it for breakfast too! SO yummy!
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cory: eat and {relish} 06.09.2011
this looks AMAZING! literally all of my favorite flavors combined. i make quinoa salads all the time with roasted veggies, and bring them all week for lunch. i love this one because of the GRAPEFRUIT….my favorite fruit ever. i cant wait to make this – thank you!
Katie 06.08.2011
OMG, I love mini-foods. I want those cones!
Melissa 06.08.2011
I’ve heard “Downy Wrinkle Releaser” is magical stuff, I have yet to try it, a friend of mine swears by it.
Thinking of avocado and grapefruit together makes my taste buds tingle! :-D
Stephanie 06.07.2011
Yum! This looks great! It’s quite HOT in Chicago today and it will make for a perfect dinner! My mom always told me I couldn’t eat corn on the cob without boiling it first because of potential bugs, pesticides, etc…was she just pulling my leg? :)
Iowa Girl Eats 06.07.2011
Ummmm, I hope so! ;) No, but really, I’ve never heard that! I mean, the same could be said for any other produce, right?
Jamie aka "Sometimes Healthy" Girl 06.07.2011
I must say I was horrified by last night’s Bachelorette episode. I always wondered if men that mean existed. Now, Bentley has helped me to confirm. But still, I’m kind of hooked.
I too am horrified that I’m too old for Real World. I think that would be my first pick. A while back there was a reality tv show about girls who had an internship at a hip women’s magazine in NYC. I’d love to be on that show!
Ashley 06.07.2011
I too am SO glad that Bentley is gone. How did she “fall” for him so quickly… I just don’t get it. I personally have no idea what show I’d like to be on. I’d just love to have Jillian Micheal’s kick my tail….
lauren @ sassy molassy 06.07.2011
Fun post, lady! I love the upgrades (definitely a nice new bike bag). Bike fixes are spendy! I’m actually planning on purchasing a new commuter bike this month bc when I think about buying an older vintage, it would cost me ALMOST the same (after fixing wheels, handlebars, tune up, etc) that a nice new commuter will be. At the same time, part of me really wants a vintage looking roadie to ride around. Maybe next summer…
And that quinoa salad with the grapefruit and addition of your homemade sauce sounds delish! PS – I still pronounce quinoa incorrectly about half the time just bc I got so used to saying it the wrong way.
Iowa Girl Eats 06.07.2011
Hahahaha I do too! I much prefer “qui-no-ah” to “keen-wah”!
dmc (Dawn) 06.07.2011
I never know what people are talking about when they say it incorrectly then I feel badly for correcting them when I finally figure it out! ;-)