Southwest Qunioa Salad

 

Did you get a call this morning that a guest went vegan or gluten-free during the pandemic?  First of all, I hope you aren't having over more than 2 other households.  That's why I'm having dinner at home; I would be household #4 or #5.  Never even looked for an invite, and frankly made it clear starting in September that I would turn one down.  More pie for me.

Even if you're getting around to reading this post a few days later, next week, or in a couple of years, this main-course salad from Chelsea's Messy Apron is a light way to throw something together.  You'll see by the stars that nearly all ingredients were something I had on hand.  In a few weeks, I would even have enough cilantro.

I did change a few proportions of ingredients.  I'm cutting a bit of quinoa and replacing it with extra spinach.  In the salad I made, I did the beans from dry and only used 1/2 C, not quite a full can once cooked.  There is a lot of fiber in this salad.  There's also a good amount of protein and iron, plus all sorts of vitamins.  It's one of those recipes you use to prove that vegan cooking can hit every nutrition benchmark.  (Except Omega-3; chia would have upped the fiber again.)

*2/3 C quinoa
*1 15 oz can black beans or 1/2 C dry, soaked, and boiled 2 hrs
*1 15 oz can kernel corn
*4 stalks green onion
8 oz fresh spinach
1 dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 C cilantro leaves
1 avocado (or *1 C defrosted avocado chunks)
*1/4 C olive oil
*juice of 2 limes
*1/2 tsp cumin
*1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or paprika for less spicy)
salt and pepper to taste

1.  If necessary, soak and rinse quinoa (check package).  Cook according to package directions, on the dry side.  Set aside to cool.  While that's going on, mix the dressing: whisk together oil, lime juice, cumin, pepper flakes, and enough salt and pepper to make it interesting.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

2.  Drain and rinse black beans and corn.  Toss together quinoa, black beans, and corn in a large bowl.

3.  Rinse and shake dry spinach.  Unless you bought a box of baby spinach, remove tough stems and chop half of it. The rest will be left whole to line the bowls.  Finely chop green onions and cilantro.  Cut the tomatoes in half.

4.  Add chopped portion of the spinach, green onions, and cilantro to the quinoa bowl and toss again.  This part can be refrigerated for later if necessary.

5.  When ready to serve, line serving bowl or individual salad bowls with whole spinach leaves.  Spoon in salad.  Top with halved tomatoes and diced avocado.  Drizzle with dressing only at serving time.  Sauces and quinoa don't really get along if they sit for more than half an hour.

Difficulty rating :)