In the Kitchen

In The Kitchen: Everyday Black Bean Quinoa

Fall is a great time to get back into the swing of cooking, meal planning, and enjoying time around the table together. I came up with this simple quinoa recipe as a way to keep a healthy side on hand. It’s beautiful colors and hearty vegetables make the perfect fall side dish. The best part…this dish is wonderful reheated in the oven, skillet, or microwave. This makes it perfect to take along as a Thanksgiving dish!

Ingredients:

2 small zucchini

3 mini sweet peppers (Orange and Red are great for a fall color splash!)

1 can of organic black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 cup of cooked quinoa (I love the frozen organic kind from Trader Joe’s for quick convenience)

1 cup frozen broccoli

1tsp garlic salt mix

1/2 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp red chilli pepper flakes

This dish is not a truly spicy one, so don’t fear the heat! The chili pepper flakes do give a little hint of spice but nothing too overpowering. If you like it spicy try adding a little more chili in there!

First, peel and slice your zucchini. Keep those cuts pretty consistent so that everything cooks evenly.

Next, remove your pepper stems and slice into strips.

Warm up your skillet with a little olive oil and add in your peppers and spices, then the frozen broccoli, then zucchini. Stir occasionally to cook everything evenly.

Adding in your peppers first allows them more cooking time since they are more substantial than the zucchini. The same goes for the broccoli. If you add frozen broccoli, allow it to begin cooking and thaw a bit before adding your zucchini. If you use fresh, you can add these two ingredients closer together.

Look at all of that color! Cook your veggies until tender but still bright in color.

Next, dump in your rinsed black beans. Stir it all together over medium-high heat.

Once your zucchini is at that translucent stage, add in your cooked quinoa. Stir and place in a pretty bowl! Garnish with some sage if you are making this dish for a special gathering.

At home, I like to enjoy this mixture for a few days reheated with a toasted tortilla and eggs for breakfast, or on top of a salad to make a hearty lunch treat. It is great with hot sauce or salsa too!