This southwestern-style salad is packed with protein and features a creamy avocado dressing.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
Salad:
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 small punnet (200 g) grape tomatoes
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced
- 1 large avocado, peeled, seeded, and diced
- ½ cup diced cucumber, seeds removed
- ½ cup sweet corn (canned or unfrozen)
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 lime, for juicing over the salad
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Avocado Dressing:
- 1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded
- ¼ cup silken tofu
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp. water
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 1 tbsp. tahini
- 1 tbsp. chopped green onion
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin
- 1/8 tsp. chili powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Place the quinoa along with 2 cups salted water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat setting. Simmer until water is completely absorbed and quinoa is fluffy, about 20 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, make the avocado dressing. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine quinoa, black beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, avocado, cucumber, corn, and red onion. Pour dressing over quinoa salad and stir until the salad is well coated. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze fresh lime juice over the salad to prevent the avocado from browning. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve at room temperature or chilled.
Source: http://vegangela.com/2014/02/05/southwestern-quinoa-salad-with-creamy-avocado-dressing/