Quinoa & Black Bean Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 can corn
1 chopped cucumber
1-2 chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

For dressing:
5 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in saucepan over medium high heat. Add quinoa and toast it until it turns light golden and smells toasted, about 3 minutes. Stir in water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the grain is tender and has absorbed all of the water, about 10 - 15 minutes. Off the heat, let the grain stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the grain with a fork. While quinoa is cooking, in a small bowl toss beans with vinegar. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl. Add beans, vegetables and cilantro and toss well.

Dressing:
In a small bowl whisk together lime juice, salt, and cumin and add oil in a stream, whisking. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well with salt and pepper to taste. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Notes:

I love this salad! So colorful and healthy. I like a lot of lime juice, and the last time I made it, it was really moist, so I would consider decreasing the oil in the dressing from 1/3 cup to 1/4 cup.

Source: Lindsay Caldwell, adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Quinoa-and-Black-Bean-Salad-12245#ixzz0hHLv0NBj