Taco Seasoned Quinoa Zucchini Black Bean Corn Salad

I had some quinoa and zucchini to use and found this recipe on closetcooking website. I actually had all the ingredients on hand and this is a keeper - simple, quick and yummy - my kind of recipe!            I had a homemade flour tortilla on hand, so I made a taco with the filling and garnished with chopped tomato and avocado.

Serves 2 hungry people as a main dish, or 4 -6 normal side dish servings


1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 3/4 cup water ( the recipe calls for 2 cups, but I feel this ratio makes quinoa mushy)
1 batch taco seasoning ( see recipe below)
1 ear corn, grilled, and kernels cut off the cob ( or 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed)
1 zucchini, grated with a box grater ( 1 small zucchini)
1 cup black beans
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cotija, or feta cheese, crumbled

Put rinsed quinoa in a medium sauce pan with taco seasoning and water. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl mix the cooked quinoa, corn, zucchini, black beans, jalapeno, green onions and cilantro.

Mix the olive oil and lime juice a little salt and pepper to taste. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve garnished with the cheese.

One batch Taco Seasoning:
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt ( I only used 1/2 tsp)
1 teaspoon pepper

Mix spices together in a small bowl.

Quinoa Salad w/ Black Bean, Orange & Cilantro Dressing

This is a very refreshing quick salad - very good too! Sometimes the simplest of ingredients is all it takes to make a great dish. I cut up some left over grilled chicken breasts I had and stirred it in...and it was delish! reminded me a bit of a chinese chicken salad- kinda sorta. Probably because of the oranges and chicken. I found this recipe from a blog called staceysnacks. (not to be confused with the pita chips) you need zest from an orange, so zest the orange first before peeling and segmenting.

serves 4-6 as a side dish

for the salad:

1 cup uncooked quinoa (any color), rinsed and drained before cooking
2 cups water
2 large oranges, peeled and "supremed", cut into segments
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced


Place quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer over low heat. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. 

Place quinoa, black beans, onion, and orange segments in a large bowl and stir gently to combine. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently to coat.

for the dressing:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons orange juice

zest from an orange

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

In a small bowl add all dressing ingredients and whisk to mix.

Southwestern Chopped Salad topped with Grilled Chicken

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 red or orange bell pepper, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in halves, or chopped
2 cups corn, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thawed)
5 green onions, chopped

Mix all in a bowl and top with dressing of your choice. I use the creamy cilantro-lime dressing. (recipe in the side bar) I also topped it with some grilled chicken and sliced avocado for a complete meal.

**this makes a lot. About 4 main dish servings, or 6 to 8 side dish servings. So half or quarter the recipe to suit your needs. Its great left over for lunch - just don't dress it until serving time.