Quinoa and Black Beans

This was an incredibly yummy side dish for dinner the other night. We used red quinoa, fresh corn off the cob, and dried black beans. You could certainly just use regular quinoa, canned corn, and canned beans if you prefer. We like to find the freshest ingredients because we’ve found it just tastes better. If you use dried beans, remember to soak them. This dish was full of flavor and texture. It’s also perfect side to an ethnic main course or with fish. The cilantro really gave it a fresh, light taste and balance from the heavy beans. The colors on the plate really add to its appeal and we both gobbled this down! I also took some for lunch the next day and it reheated very nicely!

Servings: 10

Ingredients
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes

Stir fresh corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro.