September 01, 2011

Pico de Gallo Quinoa


Summer is ending, and I wanted something fresh and Mexican, that's also a main dish.  The key flavors are cilantro, lime, tomato, onion, and garlic.  Hot or mild pepper would be good, too, but I left them out so I could share with my toddler.  This could be a great burrito or soft taco filling with mashed avocado or refried beans as the "glue".  Enjoy it with beer & lime, and it's like you're sitting on the Mayan Riviera.  Delicioso!
The ingredients (could be easily personalized for your taste)
  • Cooked quinoa (I cooked up 2 cups dry quinoa with leftover veggie cooking liquid  - in a rice cooker)
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed
  • 1 can pinto beans, rinsed
  • 1 can crisp yellow corn, rinsed
  • 1 c. chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 yellow onion, chopped (I also added a sliced "negi" - Japanese green onion)
  • 3 or 4 raw garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
  • 4 celery stalks, chopped
  • juice of one lime
  • 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar (I think this is the same as mirin)
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • optional: peppers (bell, jalapeno, whatever you like!)
Mix all ingredients and store in fridge.  This has a fresh gazpacho-like flavor. 

As a burrito filling with Haig's roasted-red-pepper hummus as the glue (it was all I had.)  I've also had this alongside greens, and with pumpkin seeds and nutritional yeast on top.

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