Easy Black Bean Mexican Quinoa

Disclaimer: This post has been sponsored by USA Pulses and Pulse Canada, but opinions are all my own. 

My husband Marcus loves Mexican food.  This past weekend, we had some black beans we needed to use up, so he decided they would be perfect in this Easy Black Bean Mexican Quinoa.  We always try to add beans to our meals.  They are a fabulous source of protein and fiber.

Did you know that the UN declared 2016 to be the International Year of the Pulses? Beans fall under the category “pulses.”  Other pulses include: chickpeas, peas and lentils.  Pulses are so great for many reasons.  Reasons to consider eating more pulses:

• They are very affordable (especially if you buy the dry vs canned)
• They taste great and they are very versatile
• Good source of protein, fiber, vitamins and nutrients
• Beneficial for disease prevention (diabetes and blood pressure)
• Great source of folate (a B vitamin needed during pregnancy)

Some of my other pulse recipes include, Snickerdoodle Pancakes, Black Bean Burgers, Peanut Butter Cookies and Sweet Potato Chili.  I encourage you to take the pulse pledge with me – a ten week commitment to eating pulses (at least once a week) in 2016!

My Homemade Sriracha Sauce would take this recipe to the next level of yum! Definitely give it a try!

Easy Black Bean Mexican Quinoa

Easy Mexican Quinoa

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Prep Time 15 min Cook Time 20 min Serves 4-5     adjust servings

Healthy and flavorful!

Ingredients

• 7-8 tomatillos
• 2 cups corn
• 2 T avocado oil
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups black beans
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1-2 tsp cilantro, chopped
• Sea salt to taste
• 1 avocado chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a bowl, toss the tomatillos and corn in the avocado oil.
3. Spread onto a baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes. You may need to toss once halfway through. Once the tomatillos are cooled, give them a rough chop.
4. In a small saucepan, add the quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then turn down, cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed. About 10 minutes.
5. Add everything, except the avocado, to a bowl and mix well. Once ready to serve, chop avocado and serve on top.

by Melissa King

Recipe Notes

This should last at least 4-5 days in the fridge. It can also be frozen for longer storage. Enjoy!