Mexican Quinoa with Black Beans & Kidney Beans

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Hopping on the Mexican recipe train with Liz!

My best friend Nikki has made it known that I will eat black beans with just about anything. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, I find them to be the perfect accompaniment (or base!) for a meal.

I bought some Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah, as far as I know) and needed a recipe. It goes without saying that I looked for one that involved black beans. It also goes without saying that I don't really follow recipes and like to make things up myself. It ALSO goes without saying that I say things that go without saying.

Quinoa is an interesting grain. Apparently it's one of the healthiest, too. It's similiar to cous-cous in texture and consistency, and can take on many flavors depending on how you cook it. I'm not obsessed with it (I'm not a rice/cous-cous person) but it's a good base to add some bulk to a meal.

I can't find the recipe I used as my jump-off, but here's what I did:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag of frozen broccoli
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp oil
• 3/4 cup dry quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 bag of "Fiesta Mix" from Key Foods, frozen (corn, carrots, peas, broccoli, kidney beans)
• 1/2 cup black beans, rinsed and drained (leftovers - previously cooked)
• cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper (to taste)
• shredded mexican-blend cheese
• Frank's Red Hot (of course)

Directions:

1. In a large frying pan, add frozen broccoli, oil and garlic and defrost broccoli about 75%.
2. Add dry quinoa, and cover with vegetable stock and add Fiesta mix. Stir and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat, cover pan, and let simmer for 20 minutes, adding seasonings.
4. Add black beans and stir thoroughly over low heat.
5. Serve and top with shredded cheese and Frank's.
6. Enjoy!

SO GOOD. Of course, I could put Frank's & black beans on dirt and think it was delicious. But seriously, this was good.