Quinoa and Pink Bean Salad with Avocado and Jícama

Quinoa and pink beans join forces with avocado and crisp jícama for a sturdy salad with southwestern flavors. It’s a perfect main-dish salad, paired with a simple soup or Easy Quesadillas or Soft Tacos.

Serves: 6

• 3/4 cup raw quinoa, rinsed in a fine sieve
• 1 cup halved yellow or red cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup peeled and diced jícama (if not available,
  use 1 medium turnip, peeled and diced)
• 1 medium firm, ripe avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/2 medium orange or yellow bell pepper
• 15- to 16-ounce can small red beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 scallions, green parts only, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup salsa (use your favorite variety)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 to  lime, to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Salt and dried hot red pepper flakes to taste

Combine the quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water in a small saucepan and bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Transfer the quinoa to a large mixing bowl to cool. If need be, speed up the cooling process by refrigerating for a while.

Once the quinoa is just warm, combine it with the remaining ingredients in the mixing bowl and stir together. Transfer to a serving container or serve straight from the mixing bowl.

Variation: Place each serving of this salad atop a bed of mixed baby greens, baby spinach, baby arugula, shredded romaine lettuce, or a combination.

• Explore Vegkitchen’s wide array of quinoa recipes.
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