Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Who knew quinoa could taste this good? I got this recipe from here

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped

 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

 1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 salt and pepper to taste

1 cup frozen corn kernels

 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and saute until lightly browned.


Mix quinoa into the saucepan and cover with vegetable broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes.


Stir frozen corn into the saucepan, and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through.

Mix in the black beans and cilantro.



I made this recipe twice. Both times I added some chopped black olives and the second time I added avocado which just made it so much better! This recipe is a keeper!

With some avocado

Strawberry Watermelon and Blue Cheese Salad

A couple of months ago I was raving about this amazing watermelon and blue cheese salad I had tried at Sanafir and I promised myself I would make it some day. I know the stereotype about Black people and watermelon. I like watermelon, I don't love watermelon, so I decided I'd try to add a fruit I really love : strawberries!

My little sous-chef, who was supposed to be helping me, ended up eating the chopped strawberries almost as fast as I could chop them!

I mixed together some watermelon, strawberries, shredded lettuce, flaked almonds, black pepper, crumbled blue cheese and olive oil. That's it. The results were heavenly! Too bad strawberries only taste sweet and juicy in the summer! 

Orzo Broccoli Salad

Orzo might very well turn out to be my favourite grain! I remember when I went through my couscous phase, I was forever making colourful salads with it. Why not with orzo?
  
 Orzo Broccoli Salad

2  teaspoons  olive oil 
1  cup  sliced  mushrooms 
1/2  cup  chopped onion 
2/3  cup  orzo
1/2  cup  shredded carrot 
1  teaspoon  dried marjoram
1/2  teaspoon  pepper 
2  cups  broccoli florets
400ml vegetable broth 

 

 In a large saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Cook and stir the mushrooms and onion in hot oil until onion is tender. 

Stir in the orzo. Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until orzo is lightly browned. Remove from heat.

 Carefully stir in the  broth, carrot, marjoram, and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, about 15 minutes or until orzo is tender but still firm. Remove saucepan from heat

Stir in broccoli. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes.