A Very Vegan Vegetable Salad

In an effort to cut down on animal fats, Michael and I have been eating a lot more dishes containing beans and lentils. As I was looking through my collection of printed recipes, I came across this one which I have made several times over the past few months. It's incredibly versatile; I've substituted garbanzo and kidney beans for the black beans, and lemon juice for the lime juice. I made it again last night for a church supper we were having today. It got rave reviews and I only had a serving or two left to take home.

This recipe calls for Quinoa, which is a South American grain-like seed; you can find it at Earth Fare and the larger Ingles stores. It doesn't have much flavor, but it absorbs the dressing in the salad and gives the salad a crunchy texture. I've made it without the quinoa -- either way, it's a delicious, colorful salad that's good for you and contains heart-healthy fats.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Quinoa
• 1-1/2 cups canned black beans, drained (or substitute chick peas or kidney beans or a combination)
• 1-1/2 T. red wine vinegar
• 1-1/2 cups cooked corn (fresh is best but frozen is a good substitute - don't use canned)
• 1 red pepper, seeded & chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped or 4 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 t. garlic, chopped fine
• 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro or flat leaf parsley, chopped fine
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (or lemon juice if you don't have lime juice)
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1-1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer under running water until the water runs clear (quinoa has a soap-like film on it that makes it taste bitter so it needs to be washed off). Put in a small saucepan with a cup of water, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered for about 15-20 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan a little, just take it off the heat and keep it covered for a few minutes, it will loosen. Transfer to a large bowl to cool (or you can place the pan in a shallow ice bath for about 15 minutes, stirring the quinoa every few minutes).

While the quinoa is cooking, marinate the beans and vinegar in a small bowl; set aside. In another large bowl, mix together the corn, pepper, onion, garlic and herbs. Whisk together the lime juice, pepper, salt and ground cumin; slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking to make an emulsion. Pour over the vegetables, add the beans and the cooled quinoa; mix well. Make this dish early in the day or the night before so it can chill and the flavors can marry.