Corn, Avocado and Black Bean Quinoa
This week’s mid-week inspiration is a fresh tasting side dish that’s quick and so easy to put together for a BBQ, party or last minute dinner. And I don't even need to tell you that it's delicious... How could it not be when the three main ingredients are corn, avocado, and black beans? Those three go together like marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers. GOOD. The creaminess of the avocado, the savory black beans, and the sweet crunch of the corn balance perfectly with the light fluffiness of the quinoa.
But, if you aren’t into quinoa, you could always omit it and turn this dish into a salsa to serve with tortilla chips or whatever else floats your boat. For a salsa, I would just omit the quinoa and use less red wine vinegar (only about 2-3 tablespoons because without the quinoa to absorb it and take a bit of the bite out of the flavor, it might be too strong).
If you have some extra time on your hands and want to avoid canned foods, you could always substitute the canned beans and corn for fresh cooked beans and steamed corn cut off the cob.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 10 mins. | 15 mins. | 25 mins. |
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can corn, drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado, cubed
- 1 handful of freshly chopped cilantro (approx. 1 packed, heaping tablespoon)
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Juice of one lime
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Combine quinoa, black beans, corn and avocado in a medium mixing bowl.
- Combing chopped cilantro, cumin, red wine vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper in a small jar. Shake vigorously until combined. Pour over quinoa, beans, corn and avocado. Stir together until everything is combined.
