Quinoa and Black Beans

If you haven't tried quinoa yet, now is the time to do it!

Quinoa is super healthy, and I just found out it's closely related to spinach, beets and tumbleweeds! But don't let this information scare you; it tastes like a nutty rice or couscous and is packed with protein and other nutrients. I haven't yet tried it for breakfast (like an oatmeal with honey, berries or nuts), but I frequently use it as a side dish with fish or chicken.

The other night I made Jamaican jerk chicken and needed an island-style side dish. I found this recipe for quinoa and black beans on AllRecipes.com. The original recipe called for frozen corn in addition to the black beans. I didn't have any corn, so I went without and it was pretty tasty, but I'm sure it would be delicious with the corn as well.

Quinoa and Black Beans

• ½ onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• ¼ cup and 2 tablespoons uncooked quinoa
• ¾ cup chicken broth
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• ½ of a 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat a little bit of oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned, about 7 minutes.

Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.  

Mix in the black beans and cilantro.