Two Quinoa Salads

I'm a huge fan of quinoa.  Do some research, and fall in love with it (especially you vegetarians / meat avoiders; it's great for protein).  These are two of my favorite ways to make it.  Both make good left overs and are good warm or cold.

This first one is from a food blog I love.

Black Bean and Cream Corn Quinoa Salad
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen sweet white corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the cilantro. Serve warm or chilled – it is delicious both ways!

(From Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

Tips: I skip the cilantro, use canned creamed corn instead of regular corn, use a shallot instead of an onion, and spice with creole seasoning instead of other seasonings.

And one of my own!

Easy Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
1 c. uncooked quinoa
2 c. vegetable broth
1-2 c. water
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced Italian stewed tomatoes, lightly drained
spices of your choice (I use creole and Monterrey steak seasoning)
lemon juice to taste

Add quinoa and vegetable broth (plus some creole seasoning) to pot cook at medium high until quinoa is soft, adding water as needed to keep from burning or sticking to pan.  Drain of extra water, add beans and tomatoes, lemon juice, and spices to taste.  Return to heat just long enough to warm beans and tomatoes.  Eat warm or chilled, with toast, na'an bread, chips, or just a fork.