Black Bean Quinoa

Quinoa seems to be all the rage these days. Not only is is super yummy, it is also really good for you! It actually beat brown rice in a health food face-off. You can see those results here. I have tried making quinoa a couple of times now and each time it came out a little.. crunchy, under cooked, however you want to say it. So I gave up on it for a while. Then the other day a genius idea popped into my head, rice cooker.

My sweetie bought one that has just been sitting in our kitchen unused for the past year, so I pulled that puppy out and gave it a try. Let me tell you, I am now a huge supporter of rice cookers. The quinoa cooked perfectly, and it was so easy to prepare! Just throw it in with some vegetable broth and let it sit! Easy peasy.

Now that I can actually get the quinoa properly cooked I plan to use it more. The great thing about quinoa is it can be served as a side dish, but with the right combination of ingredients it can also be a main course. I cooked this Black Bean Quinoa as a main course and it not only filled me up, but my honey as well. So without further ado, here is my recipe for Black Bean Quinoa, enjoy!

Ingredients:

- 1 cup uncooked, organic quinoa (a little goes a LONG way!)

- 2 cups organic vegetable broth

- 1 small red onion, peeled and chopped

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

- 1 can of corn, drained

- 1 green bell pepper, chopped

- Savory Spice Shop: El Diente Peak Southwestern Seasoning (you can purchase some here) to taste

- Salt and Pepper to taste

- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions: 

1. Rinse your quinoa to remove the powder. Place quinoa in your rice cooker with your organic vegetable broth. 

*If you are not using a rice cooker, follow the instructions on the bag to cook on your stove top. 

2. Stir in onions and garlic. Season with El Diente Seasoning, salt, and pepper. Set the time for your quinoa to cook and let the rice cooker do it's magic! I always cook on the "Quick Cook" setting ;)

3. Steam your green peppers in the microwave (I use a little olive oil and cook them for about 1 minute), and heat up your beans and corn as well.

4. Once your quinoa is done, combine all ingredients and mix well. Stir in freshly chopped cilantro and add more seasonings if needed. 

There you have it! Super easy, super healthy, and SUPER yummy! This one will definitely be one of my "stand-by" recipes for when I don't feel like cooking! ;) Have a great day everyone, and thanks for stopping by!