quinoa black bean salad

it's hard for me to find a meal that has my 3 favorite things:

1. tastes good

2. quick and easy

3. nutritious!

consider this recipe the trifecta of recipes. i had some red quinoa on hand, and a quick trip to the farmers market rewarded me with everything else.

i don't have a real recipe for this, i just throw in whatever quantities of the farmers market ingredients i have. i know, real helpful, right? just go with your gut with this one. it's hard to screw up.

ingredients:

quinoa (i like to use red - i think it's a little heartier and robust)

red bell pepper

sweet corn

black beans

cilantro

green onions (if i have them)

dressing:

olive oil

lime juice

salt

pepper

recipe:

1. cook the quinoa with a ratio of 1:1.5 quinoa to water. bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. leave covered with heat off for 5 minutes to allow to fluff.

2. chop up all your veggies and put them in a bowl, along with black beans and cooked quinoa.

3. whisk together olive oil and lime juice - i used about 1/8 cup olive oil, juice from a lime - and salt and pepper to taste.

4. pour dressing over salad and toss.

beets and goat cheese.

beets are a polarizing food. i know that, after years of responding "beets!" to the question - what's your favorite vegetable? it's a tough road, not made much easier by the fact that my second favorite vegetable is the brussel sprout. but i make no apologies for my loves.

if you have never had cooked beets in your life (read: if you've only ever had pickled beets from the salad bar), how about giving them a try?

trader joe's sells a vacuum packed bag of cooked beets. guess what else? trader joe's also sells little goat cheese medallions that are perfect for lunches. oh yeah, and hey TJ's also sells SALAD. are you with me yet?

Salad with Beets and Goat Cheese

ingredients:
greens
cooked beets
goat cheese
roasted nuts
dressing

directions:
1. if you can shop at trader joe's, this is the easiest lunch (or dinner) you'll ever make. put the greens in a bowl, top with sliced beets, a smattering of crumbled goat cheese, and a sprinkle of nuts.
2. toss with dressing.
3. Eat!

*I like to eat this with a slice of hearty multigrain bread, or if i have it handy - pita and hummus.