Ingredients:
- 1 cup Dry Quinoa (rinsed well)
- 2 cups Water or Vegetable Broth
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt (for quinoa)
- 1 can (15 oz) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Sweet Corn, fresh, frozen (thawed), or canned (drained)
- 1 medium Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup Red Onion, finely minced
- ½ cup Fresh Coriander (Cilantro), roughly chopped
- 2 large, ripe Avocados, diced into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup Fresh Lime Juice
- ⅓ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small Clove Garlic, minced finely
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt (for dressing)
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper, freshly cracked
Instructions:
- Place the dry quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold water for 30 seconds. Combine the rinsed quinoa, water (or broth), and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Remove the quinoa from heat (keep covered) and let it steam for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, fluff gently with a fork, and spread it out onto a wide plate or baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before proceeding.
- Place the lime juice, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper into a small jar or container. Secure the lid and shake vigorously until the dressing is emulsified and well combined. Set aside.
- Finely dice the red onion and red bell pepper. Rinse and drain the black beans and corn. In the large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, black beans, corn, diced red pepper, minced red onion, and chopped coriander. Pour three-quarters of the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss gently until evenly coated. Taste and add the remaining dressing if desired.
- Just before serving, dice the two avocados. Add the diced avocado cubes to the bowl and use a spatula to gently fold the salad mixture 2 or 3 times to coat the avocado without mashing it. For best flavor, chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. Give it one final, gentle stir just before serving.