Toasted Quinoa Avocado Salad

Toasted Quinoa Avocado Salad

Posted by Brit

This is one of my absolute favorite quinoa recipes!  It is a fresh, healthy and full of flavor.  Quinoa (keen-wah) is a grain-like seed.  You can find it in either the health food section of your regular grocer, at many health food stores, and sometimes along with rice or other grains in your regular grocer.  Be sure to read the package to determine whether your quinoa has been pre-washed!  If so, you are good to start in on any recipe you desire, if not, dump the amount of quinoa you need into a wire mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with room temp water.  Quinoa is naturally coated in a bitter substance to prevent things (birds) from eating it.

I got this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, and adapted it a little for my taste.  Here is the original at Ezra Pound Cake.  You could easily go back to that one, or work from mine and add or subtract ingredients.  My main difference is that I add a can of black beans and a second avocado.

Toasted Quinoa Avocado Salad

Salad:
1.5 C. quinoa
1 Tablespoon. olive oil

1 C. fresh corn kernels (if corn is not in season: frozen sweet corn works great, don't use canned)
1 C. halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 C. sliced green onions (both white and green parts)
2 ripe avocados (should be a bit soft to the touch, if they are rock hard they will not work)
1/2 C. cilantro
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinse in mesh strainer until water runs clear

Lime Jalapeno Dressing:
3 teaspoons ground cumin
5 Tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 C. fresh lime juice
1 T. finely chopped and seeded jalapeno (I always buy two, if the first one isn't hot enough I add part or all of the second)
3 garlic cloves shredded or finely minced
1 teaspoon coarse salt

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in skillet, then add quinoa (either pre-rinsed in package or that you've already rinsed).  Continue to stir and let cook over medium heat until it is light/golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Bring two Cups of water to a boil in a sauce or soup pan.  Cook the toasted quinoa over medium-low (so that it's simmering) heat for about 20 minutes, or until you see the quinoa "uncoil".  At this point the quinoa will look translucent and will have tiny coils detaching from the middle.  After this, but cooked quinoa back in mesh strainer and run cold water over it for about a minute.  Then put quinoa into a large bowl (this will be your salad bowl) and let it continue to cool.

Add diced avocado, tomato, corn, black beans and onions to quinoa, but wait to mix together until dressing is complete.

Dressing: Sprinkle the cumin in a small skillet, and toast over medium heat, stirring, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. When the skillet is cool to the touch, add the oil, lime juice, jalapeño pepper, garlic and salt. Transfer to a small bowl, and whisk to blend.
 

Buy this if you can because it's amazing.  I was lucky and got it on super sale, but regular kosher salt or salt flakes will do!.

Put the blended dressing on top of salad, then mix salad together so everything is well distributed.   Cool in the fridge for at least half an hour before serving.  Flavors will develop more the longer the salad cools.

 Store in an airtight container in the fridge.