Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad

You're probably wondering what in the heck is quinoa, and by the way it's pronounced Keen-wah, which I figured out the embarrassing way.  Kinda looked like a dork when I asked the grocery clerk where the qu-no-ah was.  He kindly informed of the right way to say it so now you know too and won't look like a dork like me.

 Of course I had to google it because I didn't know what it was and I like to know what I am eating.  Google told me that quinoa is a grain that is a wonderful source of iron, fiber, calcium and iron. It's also a complete protein source and it's also gluten free.  It's usually used in place of rice or couscous and they say is a great substitute for any of those.

Now that you know too, I was searching the other day to find a way to use my mangos.  I wanted to try something new.  And something healthier.  Summer does that to me.  With everything coming on in my garden I wanted something light and fresh and just healthy.  I found this recipe and thought that sounds like exactly what I am looking for.

I was a little worried about the kids liking something so different especially when it seems healthy, but I love introducing them to new foods.  Plus I believe every child should taste every food no matter how revolting it looks.  How can you hate something you never have tried--a standard phrase at our house.  Plus now my youngest loves broccoli after hating it for 3 years, see sometimes it happens.

This salad was amazing.  The fresh veggies and fruit were perfect for the hot summer day.  I served it with some grilled chicken and it was a wonderful dinner.

Mango and Black Bean Quinoa Salad

(click here for a printable version)

2 cups quinoa cooked in chicken broth (just substitute broth for water), at room temperature, or chilled (here is a great tutorial on how to cook it)

1 14 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium mango, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

6 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

kosher salt

freshly cracked black pepper

1.  Place cooked quinoa in a large bowl.  Add mango, red pepper, green onion, black beans, and cilantro.  In a small bowl combine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice.  Whisk until smooth and pour on top of salad.  Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste.  Chill for at least one hour before serving.  Enjoy!

Source: Our Best Bites

Cowboy Caviar

Check out my recipe at Envy My Cooking!

 Are you planning your Father's Day menu yet?

I have been planning mine for months now, that's what happens when your whole life is surrounded by food.

My hubby L.O.V.E.S. to BBQ.

Which I love too because then he does the cooking, at least the meat on the grill part.  

Because we eat a lot of BBQ in the summer I am always looking for new side dishes.  Something to spice up the normal hamburger, hot dog, chicken, fish combo that is pretty standard summer fare at our house.

 So in honor of Father's Day and BBQ season I am going to be sharing some of our favorite side dishes.

There are so many ways to make this lovely little dish, but this way is our favorite.  It is very quick and easy to whip up. Plus you can make it as spicy or mild as you like.

Cowboy Caviar

(click here for printable version)

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
2/3 c. corn (we use the frozen variety, thawed but canned works fine too)
1/2 red onion, diced finely
1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. lime juice
Jalapeno pepper, diced finely (optional)
Salt, to taste

1.  Put everything but the salt in a bowl and mix.  Add salt to taste.  Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving.  Enjoy!

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Pineapple Salsa Chicken

Whewww!!

We are 5 days out from surgery and doing awesome!  He can eat fairly normal food now, with minimal pain killers and minimal grouchiness.  Yeah...we are celebrating the small moments!!

Since he (the crazy, lovable 3 year old) takes a lot of my time lately I threw this in the crockpot one day and it turned out fabulous.  I ran across this recipe one day while surfing recipe blogs and it just called out, 

"make me for dinner"..

so I did and we loved it.  We made it as tacos and it was yummilicious.  It would also be great with rice, my kids had it that way and they said it was "good"--which in kid language means a winner!

6 fresh or frozen chicken breasts

1 (20-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can white beans, like Great Northern, rinsed and drained

2 cups mild or medium salsa

Tortillas and garnishes, like sour cream, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, avocados, etc.

1.  Place the chicken in the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Using tongs, remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred into bite-size pieces. Mix the chicken back in with the rest of the ingredients. The mixture will be fairly soupy – I like to drain off some of the excess liquid before serving, especially if we are eating it in tortillas, so it doesn’t make everything soggy. Serve with tortillas and tomatoes, cheese, avocado, sour cream, and lettuce.  Enjoy!

*Freezable Option: This recipe makes A LOT of chicken.  I freeze the leftovers in freezer-safe ziploc bags and either place the frozen portion in my crockpot for a few hours the day I want to serve it or thaw the night before in the refrigerator and reheat on low in a saucepan.

Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

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