Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

1. 1
   prep

   Soak the black beans overnight.

   Rinse the dried black beans and soak them in plenty of water for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain the water before cooking.

   TIPSoaking reduces cooking time and makes the beans easier to digest.
2. 2
   boil · ~45 min

   Cook the black beans.

   Add the soaked and drained black beans to a saucepan with 2 cups of fresh water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Drain any excess water and let them cool.

3. 3
   boil · ~20 min

   Cook the quinoa.

   Rinse the quinoa well under cold water using a fine-mesh colander. In a separate saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and let it cool to room temperature.

   TIPRinsing removes the natural bitter coating called saponin.
4. 4
   prep · ~7 min

   Prep the fresh vegetables.

   1.Finely dice the bell pepper.

   2.Deseed and dice the tomatoes.

   3.Finely chop the onion.

   4.Roughly chop the coriander leaves.
5. 5
   mix · ~1 min

   Make the dressing.

   1.In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, fresh lime juice, cumin powder, salt, and black pepper.

   2.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
6. 6
   assemble · ~2 min

   Toss the salad together.

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, cooked black beans, boiled corn kernels, bell pepper, tomatoes, onion, and coriander leaves. Pour the dressing over the top and toss gently until everything is evenly coated.

7. 7
   assemble · ~1 min

   Add the avocado and serve.

   Gently fold the diced avocado into the salad right before serving to keep it fresh and prevent browning. Serve immediately or refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors meld.

   TIPFor meal prep, add the avocado fresh each day to prevent it from turning brown.

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