This vegetarian salad is a powerhouse of nutrition with a protein boost from the combination of black beans and quinoa, a vibrant array of colourful vegetables, and the creamy richness of avocado providing essential healthy fats.
This Week
9 Dec - 15 Dec
Mexican-Inspired Quinoa, Black Bean Salad with Sweet Sautéed Veggies, Roasted Almonds and Avocado
- 30 minutes
- 4
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Meal Prep Guide
Prepare the quinoa (store in an airtight container in the fridge)
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups veggie stock (cook using the absorption method)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Add the quinoa, stock, paprika and cumin to a medium pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, around 20 minutes
- Remove from heat, pop on the lid and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes.
Dice 2 red capsicums and 1 zucchini (store together in an airtight container in the fridge)
Make the dressing (store in an airtight jar in the fridge)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Add everything to a jar and shake well.
Roast ⅓ cup almonds (store in an airtight jar in the pantry)
Tips
- Enhance the nutritional value of your dish by cooking the quinoa in bone broth or opting for a powdered or concentrated alternative like Nutra Organics.
- To bring out the natural sweetness of your sautéed veggies, be sure to let them caramelise during the cooking process. Their sweetness is a delicious contrast to the fresh tomatoes and chilli in the salad.
Shortcuts
Vegetables
- Add finely sliced cos.
- Add diced cucumber.
Protein
- If you are wanting to serve this salad with some extra protein we would recommend our blackened salmon or grilled meat of choice.
Other
- Swap quinoa for brown or black rice.
- Add feta.
Ingredients
Quinoa
- 1 cup quinoa (red or white)
- 2 cups veggie or chicken stock
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
Sautéed veggies
- 1 red onion (diced)
- 2 red capsicum (diced)
- 1 zucchini (diced)
- 1 ½ cups frozen sweet corn
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Other salad ingredients
- 1 tin black beans (drained, rinsed and patted dry)
- 1 punnet cherry tomatoes (halved)
- ⅓ cup fresh coriander (roughly chopped)
- 1 red chilli (finely sliced)
- ⅓ cup almonds (roasted and roughly chopped)
- 1 avocado (diced)
Dressing
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Add the quinoa, stock, paprika and cumin to a medium pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the quinoa has absorbed all of the water, around 20 minutes
- Remove from heat, pop on the lid and let the quinoa steam for 5 minutes, then allow to cool slightly before assembling the salad.
- While the quinoa is cooking, prepare the sautéed veggies. Add a little olive oil to a large fry pan along with the onion and a pinch of salt; sauté for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
- Add the capsicums and zucchini and cook for another 5-10 minutes or until soft and starting to caramelise.
- Add the frozen corn; cook until defrosted and warmed through. Season to taste and set aside to cool while you prepare the remaining salad ingredients and dressing.
- To make the dressing, add all the ingredients to a jar and shake well to emulsify.
- Time to assemble the salad. Add all the ingredients into a large bowl, pour over the dressing and toss well. *If you want to level up the presentation, save a ¼ of the coriander, almonds, chilli and avocado for toppers at the end.
Variations
Vegetables
- Add finely sliced cos.
- Add diced cucumber.
Protein
- If you are wanting to serve this salad with some extra protein we would recommend our blackened salmon or grilled meat of choice.
Other
- Swap quinoa for brown or black rice.
- Add feta.
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