Summer Salad - Quinoa and Black Beans

If you're looking for something a little different to serve at your next cook out or pot luck try this summer salad. Quinoa and beans team up to make a deliciously different and versatile dish. It can be eaten as a meal in itself, served as a side dish or even as a filling in your favorite wrap. 

A few facts about quinoa:

• pronounced keen - wa
• often called a whole grain it is actually a seed
• a complete protein - contains all 9 essential amino acids
• contains iron, lysine and magnesium
• high in fiber

Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

1 cup quinoa

2 cups chicken stock or veggie stock 

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 - 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

Juice and zest from 1 lime (about 2 Tablespoons juice)

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes - more or less depending on how hot you like it.  

Important!  Quinoa is coated with toxic chemical called saponin. You must rinse the quinoa before cooking or it will be very bitter. Place the quinoa in a sieve and rinse under running water. The water will look soapy so be sure to rinse until the water runs clear. 

After the quinoa is rinsed place it in a pot with the liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. 
While the quinoa is cooking chop the veggies and place in a large bowl and sprinkle with the salt. Add the beans, garlic, lime juice and zest. Toss to coat. 

Once the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender allow it to cool slightly. 

Add the quinoa to the veggies and beans and toss. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. 

Serve and enjoy!

The Ultimate Baked Beans for Your Next Cookout

When I'm in a hurry or there's lots of dishes to prepare for a cookout I have no problem opening a can of baked beans to heat and serve. But there are times when I want to go an extra mile and make something a little more special.

That's when I pull out all the stops and make the ultimate baked beans. My friend refers to these as "Those Beans" because when I make this dish for a potluck she says everyone want to know who made those beans.

Full of bacon, ground beef and three different types of beans it could be a meal in itself.

All it takes is a few cans of beans and a little of this and a little of that...

Ultimate Baked Beans

3 (1 pound) cans pork and beans
1 (1 pound) can lima beans (do not drain)
1 (1 pound) can of kidney beans (drained)
1/2 pound bacon
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup ketchup
1 cup water
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Brown the ground beef, drain the fat and set aside.
Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain all but 3 Tablespoons of the bacon fat.
Cook the onion in the reserved bacon fat until tender.
Add the ketchup, water, mustard, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to the onions and heat through.

Crumble the bacon and mix all the ingredients together in a large baking dish. (I used a cast iron chicken fryer.)

You can add additional ketchup and water if the dish seems too dry.

Bake in the oven at 300 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours until thick and bubbly.
OR
In a crock pot on low 4 hours
OR
for a cookout this can be cooked on the grill. I used a cast iron skillet and set it over the hot coals for 1 1/2 hours.

For your next cookout those beans would be great served with Sweet and Slightly Tangy Coleslaw and your favorite grilled meat. 

What's on your grill this weekend?