I love making quinoa salads! Quinoa adds great texture, a healthy dose of whole grains, and a balance of essential amino acids to any meal - so why not throw it into a salad?
This is a protein packed dish with bright Mexican inspired flavors: quinoa, pumpkin seeds, jalapeno pepper, black beans, and mixed greens tossed with a spicy mole vinaigrette.
It's healthy, filling, and has fresh clean flavors.
I had tons of leftovers, so I actually ended up throwing this into a whole wheat wrap the next day with some guacamole and enjoying it for lunch - it was great!
The husband is always super skeptical about salads for dinner, but this totally filled him up. We crumbled some corn chips on top for some added texture and flavor.
You could even make the quinoa mixture ahead of time and then toss it with the greens and dress it before eating, making it a very easy go-to meal.
The Ingredients- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- 3/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels (pepitas), toasted
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Fresno chile or jalapeño pepper, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves or mixed greens
Step 1: Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; gradually add oil, stirring well with a whisk.
Step 2: Combine quinoa and next 6 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add spinach or mixed greens; toss to combine.
It doesn't get much simpler than that. And minus the jalapeno, this recipe is kid friendly too!
Spicy Bean and Quinoa Salad with "Mole" Vinaigrette
Nutritional Info Per Serving: 258 Calories, 11.6g Fat (1.5g Saturated), 377mg Sodium, 31g Carbs, 10g Protein, 7g Fiber
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
- 3/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup unsalted pumpkinseed kernels (pepitas), toasted
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 Fresno chile or jalapeño pepper, diced
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups baby spinach leaves or mixed greens
Directions
- Combine first 7 ingredients in a small bowl; gradually add oil, stirring well with a whisk.
- Combine quinoa and next 6 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add spinach or mixed greens; toss to combine.
Notes
http://pickyeaterblog.com/spicy-bean-and-quinoa-salad-with-mole-vinaigrette/
