Quinoa and Black Beans

In an attempt to eat healthier, I've been experimenting with quinoa recipes. Quinoa (pronounced "keen-wah") is a great alternative to rice and pasta. It's low in carbs and high in protein, which is good for your muscles. Its also a great source of fiber. People often categorize it as a whole grain but its really the seed of a leafy green plant.

The great part about it is, its also delicious. I haven't eaten rice in the past four days and I don't even miss it! It tastes better than brown rice and takes much less time to cook. You can buy quinoa at the local grocery store but it's pretty expensive. You can also find it at Costco where its a lot cheaper and comes in bulk.

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 can corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.

2. Mix quinoa into pan and cover with vegetable broth. I buy the chicken broth from the local halal market and follow directions in box (boil 2 cups water and dissolve one chicken stock cube). The most common brands are Maggie and Knorr.

3.  Add cumin, cayenne pepper,salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Stir in corn and beans, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes until heated through.

5. Mix in the cilantro and remove from heat.