May I Come to Dinner Quinoa Recipe

Ring, ring, ring.

“Hello this is Bonnie speaking.”

“May I come to dinner?  I really want some of your quinoa.”

I started noticing a trend developing.  Friends began wanting to come for dinner to share in my quick and easy, throw together in minutes quinoa dish.  Several weekends ago I went camping with a group of girlfriends.  When we were planning the menu the question came  up, “can you make your quinoa dish for one of our meals?”  Maybe the heart and stomach truly are connected.

This recipe is ridiculously easy and you are encouraged to put your own twist on it.

Bonnie’s May I Come To Dinner Quinoa Recipe

1 cup Quinoa
1/2 lemon
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or avocado oil)
1 pinch ground sea salt
1 handful of fresh basil sliced into strips
1 handful fresh mint leaves sliced into strips
1/2 cup chunked tomatos (real fun to mix baby red, yellow and orange, but not necessary)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (optional)
1/2 can black beans
1 avacado

You make up the rest.  Add fresh veggies like corn kernels, bean sprouts, carrot chunks.  I also like adding black olives.

Directions:  Cook the quinoa per directions on the packaging.  Allow to cool (or refrigerate until cool).  While cooling, mix in a cup or small bowl 1/2 fresh lemon juiced.  Add olive or avocado oil and a pin of ground sea salt into the lemon juice.  This is the dressing.

Once cooled add sliced basil, mint, chunked tomatos, green onions and black beans into quinoa.  Add lemon oil dressing and toss.  Top with cubed avocado.

“Bonnie serves a delightful quinoa recipe, her dish was so flavorful, I think I ended up serving myself three helpings without any guilt because it is so nutritious. I’ve tried finding a similar salad at quality restaurants and gourmet grocery stores but the others just fell short.  Bonnie’s is my standard.”  Kristi Robertson

Facts about Quinoa from Wikipedia:

• The Incas considered it a sacred grain.
• It dates back to 7,000 years ago
• It is considered the “mother of all grains”
• It is a chenopod and closely related to beet, spinach and tumbleweed (YUM)
• It has a very high protein content
• It is gluten-free