One of my goals for 2020 was to reduce the amount of meat I am eating. While I don’t plan to cut it out altogether, I do want to reduce my meat intake and instead try and include a few more vegetarian options in my diet. I always find I feel the best when I eat fresh, whole foods. I have so much more energy and just feel lighter and better. My gut also feels healthier and happier and I feel less bloated. Vegetarian meals really do agree with me, so I’m exploring different veggie recipes that are tasty and easy – and this black bean salad recipe is a winner!
A few months back we bought a tonne of black beans and chickpeas so I’ve been making up a lot of recipes using these. I wanted to try and make a black bean salad, so I whipped up this little number the other night and it’s really tasty! It can be enjoyed either as a dinner or a lunch, or as a side salad. It’s also super cheap to make and goes a long way – win win!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 can of black beans
- 1 can of sweet whole kernel corn (or 1 cup of defrosted frozen corn)
- 1/2 red capsicum
- 1-2 large tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 2 cups of boiling water
- 1 stock cube
METHOD
- Rinse throughly and drain the black beans
- Add in corn, diced capsicum, diced tomatoes and mix
- Add lemon juice, cumin, sweet paprika, and salt and pepper and mix
- Cover and place in the fridge for a while to cool
- Make a vegetarian broth by dissolving a stock cube into 2 cups of boiling water
- Add in quinoa and cook until the water is fully absorbed. Take off the heat and pop on the lid and let this steam for about 5 minutes (this makes the qunioa nice and fluffy!)
- Allow to cool before mixing through the black bean salad
- Serve & enjoy!
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS YOU COULD INCLUDE
- Red onion, finely diced
- Jalapenos
- Chopped cilantro
- Green or yellow capsicum
This is such a super easy recipe and it can be made in advance as it tastes best once cooled. It is perfect to be made up for lunches and keeps in the fridge for a few days. Let me know if you make that black bean salad recipe! I’d love to know what you add!