Prepare Today Homemade- Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Black beans and Quinoa-a perfect pairing!!

Honeyville Grain has introduced me to a whole new world of grains.  Quinoa has been popular for a little while now, but I have just recently jumped on the quinoa train.  I took a class at Honeyville that introduced me to many new grains that are so incredibly healthy for us.  Quinoa has a really high protein content and is actually a complete protein. (great for vegetarians!!) I was always kind of nervous to tastes quinoa because I thought it was going to be kind of like oatmeal, but I was so wrong.  It is soft and only a little bit chewy, kind of like rice.  It has a mellow flavor and all of my children ate it for dinner.  

 Black Bean Quinoa Salad
1 t oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic

3/4 C uncooked Quinoa
1 1/2 C broth
1 t cumin
1/4 t cayenne
salt & pepper to taste
1 C corn (canned, fresh, or frozen)
2 cans black beans rinsed and drained (I only used 1 can)
1/2 C cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned. Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through. Mix in the black beans and cilantro. 

I also made some Naan bread (or Indian fry bread) to go along with the quinoa.  It was chewy, warm, and delicious.

 Naan Bread


1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast (2 1/2 t instant yeast)
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups bread flour
2 teaspoons minced garlic (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted


In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes, until frothy. Stir in sugar, milk, egg, salt, and enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes on a lightly floured surface, or until smooth. (I used my bosch to do the kneading) Place dough in a well oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and set aside to rise. Let it rise 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in volume.

Punch down dough, and knead in garlic. Pinch off 16 small handfuls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll into balls, and place on a tray. Cover with a towel, and allow to rest for a few minutes.  Preheat your oven to 475 degrees with a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven.  

Dough ready to be baked in the oven.

Form each ball into a 6" circle using your hands to form the circle.  Place a few circles into the oven on the pizza stone.  Cook for 3-5 minutes or until the dough has a few dark spots, and is slightly puffy.  Remove from the oven and rub with butter. 

My kids loved the bread!!  And I have a new love of Quinoa!!  Plus it was so quick to get dinner on the table.  I will be adding a few more quinoa recipes to my family's meal plan!!