Here’s a delicious meal idea that can be made in a flash.
Perfect for a hot lunch or dinner, this colourful Mexican-inspired quinoa salad is packed with fresh flavours – and is so good for you.
If you haven’t already tried quinoa, it’s a great alternative to rice, pasta or cous cous.
Just some of the benefits of quinoa include:
- It’s low GI so it sustains you for longer
- It’s a seed rather than a grain, meaning it’s gluten free
- It contains potassium, magnesium and even calcium
- It is high in protein, iron and fibre
- It’s got Vitamins A, C and E which means it’s a great antioxidant
Quinoa is great for weight loss as it keeps you fuller for longer, meaning you can get on with your day without feeling the need to overeat. You can read more about the health benefits of quinoa here.
If you already have some cooked quinoa on hand (it keeps in the fridge for around 3 days) you will need 3 cups for this recipe.
Even superfoods need to be eaten in moderation though, so treat quinoa as you would, say, brown rice and keep your portion sizes in check.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 small red onion, peeled and very finely sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Small bunch of fresh parsley, stems and leave finely chopped
- Small bunch of fresh coriander, stems and leave finely chopped
- 1 corn on the cob, cooked, corn removed (or use half a tin of corn)
- 100g cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1 avocado, peeled and cubed
- 400g tin of black beans (or feel free to use kidney beans), drained and rinsed
- ½ tsp each of cumin, coriander, and oregano
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 tbsp light sour cream, to serve (optional)
Method:
- Bring 2 cups of water to the boil in a saucepan over high heat.
- Rinse the quinoa under warm running water using a fine sieve and add to the boiling water.
- Cover with a lid and return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 mins. Keep the lid on until all of the water has been absorbed.
- Remove from the heat and fluff up with a fork.
- Add in all of the other ingredients to the quinoa and mix well.
- Serve with a dollop of light sour cream, if desired.
Serves: 4. Calories per serve: 439.
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