Quinoa with black beans and mushrooms

It's almost a new year so that means new resolutions about eating healthier and exercising more. I can't help you with the exercise part but here's an easy recipe featuring quinoa and beans which will increase your fibre intake and if you use it as an entree you can skip a red meat serving!

Ingredients
3/4 c quinoa
1 can black beans
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup corn kernels
4 cloves garlic, chopped small
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp cumin
1 c water
1/2 c white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground chipotle pepper
2 tsp oil
2 tsp butter


What to do
1. In a large pot, add oil and butter to sauté onions and mushrooms over medium heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic, ginger,cumin,chipotle and salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 minute.
3. Add quinoa, water and wine.
4. Bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add beans and corn and heat for additional 5 minutes.
7. Serve.

Spicy Quinoa Salad

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 3 cups water
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups diced cucumber
• 1/2 small red onion, finely minced
• 3 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
• handful of cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 avocado, sliced, for garnish

What to do
Put the diced cucumber in a colander, and sprinkle with salt to draw some of the cucumbers moisture out. Gently mix the cukes and salt and allow to sit for 15 minutes or longer. To remove the salt, rinse the cucumber with cold water, and drain on paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

Place diced onions in a bowl of cold water. By soaking them before adding them to the salad you will remove the stinging bite of the onions and it mellows out the taste a bit. Let them sit for five minutes, before draining and then drying tehm off on paper towels.

Soak the quinoa for 5 min in the cooking pot. (Soaking it will help the quinoa cook evenly, and loosens up any residue of saponin (usually removed in processing), which can give it a bitter taste.)

Stir the quinoa with your hand, and carefully pour off the water using a fine mesh strainer.

Dump the quinoa back into cooking pot, add 1 1/2 cups water & 1/2 tsp salt if desired.

Bring to a boil, and then cover with a tight fitting lid. Immediately turn the heat down to simmer.

Cook for 15 minutes.

Remove quinoa from heat and allow to sit five minutes with the lid on. You will know the quinoa is done when it is tender and translucent; on each grain you will see a little "tail" that is now visible.

Combine and stir the vinegar, lime juice, mustard and olive oil in a bowl. Add the tomatoes, chiles, cucumber and onion, season to taste with salt.

Add the quinoa and cilantro. Toss together, add salt and pepper if needed.

Dish and add a few slices of avocado and extra cilantro, if desired.

Serves six.