Stoplight Quinoa Salad

Red, yellow, and green peppers make up this stoplight salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

zest and juice of 2 limes

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups quinoa

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

3/4 cup red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

zest and juice of 2 limes

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Measure the quinoa into a medium size bowl. Cover with water and stir around with a spoon to really clean the quinoa. Strain off the dirty water and put the quinoa into a pot with 3 cups of water and turn on medium-high heat.

Once it has come to a boil, turn off the heat, cover with the lid and let stand for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, uncover and fluff with a fork.

Transfer into a large bowl and allow to cool down before adding the chopped vegetables and other ingredients.

In a small bowl or jar, mix together the red wine vinegar, lime juice, olive oil, and spices. Pour over the quinoa mixture. Toss all together and chill before serving.

This recipe comes from a cooking project at School Within School. The recipe calls for quinoa, but you can substitute barley or other whole grains. If you like spicy food, try adding some finely diced jalapeno peppers.