Southwestern Quinoa + Avocado Hummus

You guys are in for a real treat today.  Maybe it is all the Halloween candy I am jacked up on,  but I am feeling generous and thought two recipes is always better than one.  Especially when paired together they make the perfect lunch combo.

I always have quiona on hand.  I buy the large bag at Costco that lasts forever, so I am always looking for new quiona recipes.  This one had great flavor and took no time to whip together.  We served ours as a side at a cookout and it was a big hit.  It would also be great for dinner with grilled chicken or shrimp served over top. 

As for the hummus. I am a hummus freak. I eat it everyday and most times I eat half a container in one sitting, that is how much I love it. I have made my own hummus before but never avocado hummus. The avocado with the white beans creates such a creamy, smooth,  and flavorful hummus. Seriously delicious and all you do is toss all the ingredients in a food processor- easy right??  For the past week I have been eating the quiona salad and avocado hummus with pretzel crisps for my lunch. It is the perfect lunch combo!Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

{Southwestern Quinoa}

Recipe adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Salad Ingredients:

3/4 cup quinoa (rinsed if needed, check the package)

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 red bell pepper, chopped into small dice

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 diced jalapenos

Dressing Ingredients:

2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional but highly recommended) (I could not find this anywhere so I omitted)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground Ancho chile pepper (I used regular chile powder instead)

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Check the quinoa package to see if it needs to be rinsed (it often does) and rinse in a fine-mesh strainer if needed. Combine quinoa, water, and salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let it cool while you prep other ingredients.

Drain the beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water, until no more foam appears. Let beans drain until they are quite dry (or pat dry with paper towels if you want to speed it up.)

Cut out the stem and remove seeds from the red bell pepper and cut into very small dice (about the size of the black beans.) Slice the green onions into thin slices, dice the jalapenos and wash, dry, and chop the cilantro.

When the quinoa is fairly cool, combine quinoa, black beans, diced red bell pepper, and sliced green onion in a bowl. Add enough dressing to moisten all the ingredients. (You probably won't need all the dressing, but save the extra to stir into any leftover salad that's been in the fridge.) Gently stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.

This keeps very well in the fridge for several days. The salad absorbs the dressing when it's refrigerated, so it's best with a little more dressing stirred in when you're eating the leftover salad.

{Avocado Hummus}

Original Recipe and chalkboard photo from The Lovely Cupboard

Add the following to your food processor:

-1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed

-1 avocado, cubed

-juice from 1/2 of a lime

-1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of olive oil (a lower fat option: substitute oil for juice from the beans)

-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 Blend until smooth

 
side note- I always drizzle my hummus with infused harrisa olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving!

On The Lovely Cupboard blog, she had the fabulous idea to plate the hummus on Pretzel crisps with Cilantro sprigs for a party.  How cute is that?