Quinoa with black beans

 

Quinoa is one of those grains that we should all eat.  I have tried it several times and I could never acquire a taste for it. Until now. I made this recipe over the weekend, I was really just experimenting, and came up with something that actually tastes good. So besides the fact that it is good for you, it tastes great. Quinoa is high is protein which is why health foodies include this in their regular diet.    

Ingredients:
1 cup Quinoa
1 15 oz can black beans
1/4 red onion, diced fine
1 mango, chopped small
handful of cilantro, chopped
1 Lime, zest and juice
2 tbsp Olive oil
Salt and pepper

This is so fast and simple because everything literally gets thrown into a mixing bowl and it is done. 

Cook the 1 cup quinoa according to package directions. Allow to cool slightly and put into a large mixing bowl.  Drain the black beans, add to the bowl.  Dice the red onion to a fine dice and add to the bowl.  Peel and cut the mango into a small dice and add to the bowl along with the cilantro.  Zest the lime, add to the bowl, cut the lime in half, juice it and add to the bowl.  Pour in a couple tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper and mix well.

This can be eaten straight away but I found that it is better after it has had a bit of time.   This is a perfect dish to make the day ahead.  

Healthy Eating!

Salmon with Miso

Salmon with miso is one of my favorite things to make because I feel so healthy when I eat it.  I serve mine with sauteed greens and black sesame seeds.  I think the black sesame seeds make the dish look so much more exotic.

I like salmon but I get tired of it cooked the same way all the time so I have to mix it up.  Sometimes I make it in white wine with capers which is also nice.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp white miso
2 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp liquid amino, or soy sauce
1/2 tsp finely minced ginger
1 tsp sesame oil
2 Salmon fillets, about 6 oz each

Whisk first 6 ingredients together in a bowl.  Place salmon in a baking dish, put the miso sauce over them, allow them to marinate for about 30 minutes. Place baking dish with salmon in the oven at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Greens:  You can use any combination of greens you like.  I use spinach alot but I also use beet tops, kale, and chard.  You can mix it up or use only one type.  When greens are sauteed they cook down to nothing so start with more than you think you need.  I use one entire bunch spinach and a small bunch of other green to serve two.  

To cook the greens: 
Mince 3 cloves of garlic, add to the saute pan with 2 tbsp olive oil.  Heat and saute garlic for about 30 seconds, add greens and salt. Toss to cook.  Cooking will take only a couple minutes.

Plate the greens in the center, put salmon fillet on top, and sprinkle with black sesame seeds.

Note: I keep my sesame seeds in the freezer so that they stay fresh longer.