Not even a year ago, I posted this recipe raving about how delicious it was, and now I’m back to tell you just how much I love this quinoa salad. It’s healthy and filling and perfect as a side dish at a barbecue or on it’s own as a weeknight meal.

Quinoa is a versatile grain that can be paired with pretty much anything, and better yet, is super good for you. It’s very high in protein, wheat free, gluten free, organic, and is 100% whole grain. This salad combines black beans (high in fiber and protein), corn, and quinoa for a delicious, filling, and healthy meal or snack. It’s light and fresh and can be eaten warm or cold.

I will give you a heads up though, the cumin and cayenne pepper give this salad a bit of a spicy kick, so if you’re not too keen on the heat, lower those amounts or substitute them with a different spice. The small addition of honey was added for a touch of sweetness against the spiciness and the addition of avocado this time (thanks to a comment suggestion on my last post) was a nice addition next to the flavors of this salad.

I hope you enjoy this summer salad as much as I do!

Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Salad
adapted from The Dish on Delish

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cup fresh corn, cut off the cob
• 1 1/2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (I didn’t add any because I don’t like cilantro all that much)

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic and saute until lightly browned.

Add quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in honey, cumin, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in corn and black beans until heated through. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro (if using) and a squeeze of fresh lime if desired. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

Today, on one of the hottest days of this summer thus far, I decided that it would be a good idea to go to a hot vinyasa yoga class. To be honest, I didn’t intend on it to be this hot, but I had a morning free for the first time in a while and haven’t been to a class in few weeks. It was so hot in the room that the instructor didn’t turn on any of the heaters. I started doing hot yoga this past May and have fallen in love with the art of yoga. Yoga by itself is relaxing and muscle strengthening enough, but doing it in a 100 degree room is just so much better. Call me crazy, but the aftermath is an amazing feeling. Well, the immediate aftermath is amazing. Tomorrow, my legs and butt might actually hate me.

Now, onto this delicious organic quinoa salad I’m currently addicted to… I’ve been on a hunt for a healthy, hearty, and delicious corn soup/chowder/dish to make with the fresh sweet corn that floods farm stands and fresh markets every summer. Each year, corn on the cob is an obvious side dish in my house because it’s sweet and delicious and that’s all the reason I really think I need. I came across this recipe that combined sweet corn, black beans, and quinoa; a healthy, protein-filled salad that I had to make. I just had to.

So after yoga, yes, right after yoga, sweaty and all, I stopped by the food store to raid the organic isle. I picked up some organic black beans and organic low-sodium chicken broth. [You can use regular black beans and chicken broth, but it was one of those days that I thought that it being 'organic' would make it that much better.]

Well my friends, this was one hell of a salad. Not only have I eaten it for lunch and dinner, but it’s a great snack, side dish, or bring-to-work lunch. It’s filling, tasty, and extremely healthy. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime and you’ve got yourself a hearty little meal right there. And for the record, I did eat it out of a coffee mug, do we have a problem with that? (Handmade coffee mug courtesy of my sister who brought it back for me from Bermuda. Ain’t it pretty?!)

Black Bean and Corn Quinoa Salad
adapted from The Dish on Delish

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 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
• Salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cup fresh corn, cut off the cob
• 1 1/2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped (I didn’t add any because I don’t fancy cilantro all that much)

Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Stir in onions and garlic and saute until lightly browned.

Add quinoa and cover with broth. Stir in cumin, cayenne pepper and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 15 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in corn and black beans until heated through. Remove from heat and add chopped cilantro (if using) and a squeeze of fresh lime if desired. Serve warm, room temperature or cold.

I never really had the intention of posting meals that I have throughout the course of my day, but I feel so strongly about this salad that I need everyone to know about it!

My love for arugula has grown over the past few months, and I’ve created this salad around that love. This salad is almost too easy to make and can be switched up to suit your individual taste pallet.

All you need is:

• Arugula (I like this leaf because it has a distinct taste and goes great with the other ingredients)
• Craisins (If you haven’t had these yet, try them. You will love them)
• Walnuts (Because everyone loves nuts in their salad)
• Cheese (I usually use fresh mozzarella, but today I had leftover goat cheese so I used that, and feta works just as well!)

Optional:

• Red Onion
• Cucumber
• Croutons
• Olives? (I’m not a fan, but if you like them, more power to ya)

I never measure out the ingredients for this salad. I feel that the amounts of each you use depends on how much you like each ingredient. So just start tossing some of each on a plate, you’ll know when enough is enough

Dress it up

Because this salad is so refreshing and light, I never like to use a heavy, creamy dressing. I usually use oil and vinegar, but I ran out of vinegar, so I replaced it with this awesome balsamic I had in the cabinet. It’s actually a Vanilla Fig Balsamic, and I suggest everyone go out and buy it now! I know it may sound odd to some people, but I actually got this at Marshalls for $5.99. My uncle, a restaurant owner in Florida, told me to buy it, and I am so glad I did. The flavor of this balsamic is sweet with a little bite to it. Paired with oil to calm it down a bit, it’s perfect over this salad.

So there you have it, my favorite salad of all time. Enjoy!