Mexican Quinoa Bean Medley

Now, I was never much of a cook when I lived at home (who are we kidding, if my mother didn't make it, I didn't eat).  But now that I'm the lady in charge of my own house, the cooking that I so dreaded has actually become something I look forward to.  I'm not saying that I'm an amazing cook, but I can mix up a good dish or two...

This is one of those dishes my husband and I have come to really enjoy, and really just spawned from mixing bits of everything that was left in the fridge into one tasty creation.  Give it a try, I hope you enjoy! 

Mexican Quinoa Bean Medley
1 cup of organic quinoa
2 cups of organic chicken broth (low sodium)
(If you are watching your sodium intake, or are wanting a meatless dish, you can swap out the chicken broth for water)
~1 cup cooked black beans
~1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

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For the salsa:
1 green chili, seeded
1 fistful of cilantro leaves
1 can (or equivalent of fresh) diced tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic
A squirt of lime juice

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In a food processor combine all the ingredients for the salsa (measurements can be adjusted to fit individual preferences).  Pulse on low until you get a nice"chunky" mixture with a loose consistency.  Set this aside.

Bring quinoa and chicken broth to a boil, and decrease to medium heat for 15 min.  Then remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, fluff the quinoa with a fork, and mix in the black beans, chickpeas, and salsa, and toss so it is equally distributed.  Sometimes I leave it for a few minutes to soak up some of the extra fluid from the salsa, otherwise it is ready to serve!

Quinoa is high in fibre, antioxidants (like manganese and copper), protein (9 essential amino acids), and magnesium which is why this is an excellent dish for people with gluten allergies, or those who do Meatless Monday or those who just want a new healthy dish to try.

This is a lovely dish because it is made from many fresh ingredients, and therefore can be customized to your liking!

Enjoy!

If you tried this recipe, what did you think?  Comment below!