This weekend, I just purchased the WeightWatcher’s New Complete Cookbook. Although, I did not not follow their Black Bean and Shrimp Salad (page 101), I was inspired to create this salad with what I had in the house and with fewer points.
Tip: Make sure to rinse your quinoa. Doing so removes a bitter-tasting chemical, saponin, surrounding the seeds and makes your dish taste better and easier on your digestion.
Quinoa Mexi-Salad
Servings 6 (1 cup) – WW Plus Points 5
This salad was good warm and cold left-over the next day. If you want a bit of kick, adding your favorite hot sauce (my favorite is Tapatio) is a nice addition. The quinoa can be cooked according to the package instruction on the store or in a rice cooker. For the rice cooker, I use a ratio of 1 c quinoa to 1.75 c of water.
Ingredients:
4 c cooked quinoa (1 cup raw)
1 – 15 oz. can of beans (rinsed)
I prefer pinto because they never make my food look muddy 
1 – 11 oz. can of whole kernel corn
Tasty and whole grain
1 – 15 oz. can petite diced tomato (rinsed and drained)
You do not have to rinse if your tomatoes are packed in water, mine come in sauce.
2 c chopped fresh spinach
1 c chopped cucumber (optional – see below)
1/2 onion – chopped
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin, paprika, & ancho chile powder
1 tbsp chile powder
juice of one lemon
juice of one lime
salt and pepper to taste
- Heat Olive oil over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add onions and saute until onions start to brown.
- Add quinoa, veggies and onions to a large mixing bowl.
- Add spices (more or less can be added based on your taste) and lemon/lime juice
- Toss all ingredients together and serve warm or cool in refrigerator.
Note: If you wish to add cucumber, add only to the amount your are serving. Cucumber gets soft in salad overnight and is less appealing.
Also, if you are feeling super lazy, you can cut out the chopping and just add about a cup of store bought salsa. I think the flavor is better this way, but it will work in a pinch.
Enjoy. Your family will love it.
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