Mexican Quinoa Salad with Lime Vinaigrette
An easy Mexican quinoa salad full of black beans, sweet corn, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and avocado with a tangy lime vinaigrette is a perfect lunch salad.
I have found a food my normally garbage disposal like toddler wont eat: avocado. She picks them all out of this Mexican quinoa salad with lime vinaigrette. Then she either mushes them around on her high chair and finger paints with them or tosses them at the dog, who steps in them and paw paints on the hard wood floor.
It’s good times in this house.
Actually, the entire way my toddler eats this dish is kind of interesting. She goes for the black beans first. They’re her favorite. (I know, I’m not sure where she came from either to love black beans and chickpeas. Side note: she now knows how to open the pantry and has been to bring me cans of black beans and chickpeas and drop them on my feet when she wants them. I’m not a fan of this habit. It hurts.) Then she goes for the corn. Then the quinoa. The tomatoes are a toss up. Sometimes she eats them, other times she just squishes them and laughs like maniac as she does it.
I mean I guess it is pretty funny to squish tomatoes. Especially when you finger paint with avocado.
While this meal isn’t a total toddler win, it’s an absolute slam dunk for me especially during the spring and summer months. I can make it ahead of time, serve it hot or cold, and it makes a giant serving that I can eat all week for lunch. Plus it’s healthy and delicious and makes up for things like chocolate cheesecake crepes. And since I am still trying to loose the baby weight over a year and a half later, well, healthy is good. After all, I am on week 3 of Shaun T’s butt kicking in T25. If I am going to actually work out instead of collapse on the couch in a heap and watch something trashy and oh so addicting like Gossip Girl on Netflix, then I am not going to kill my efforts all the time with junk.
At least not today. Balance, ya know?
Instead I’m going to get my sweat on and dig into this delicious, protein packed vegan goodness and feel the healthy glow. I won’t tell that the glow is actually the sheen that’s developed on my forehead from the sheer effort of chasing around the Goose today and lack of shower.
Oh well, at least I’m eating well and loving this Mexican quinoa salad.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups of uncooked quinoa
- 1 can approximately 1 2/3 cups black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup of frozen corn
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 2 cups of cherry tomatoes quartered
- 1 avocado**
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- sprinkle of cilantro*
Dressing
- The juice of two limes
- 3/4 cup of olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook the quinoa according the package instructions and set aside in a large bowl.
- While the quinoa is cooking, dice the onion and pepper and cook in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until soft, about 5-7 minutes.
- When onions and pepper are soft, add the drained black beans, corn and spices. Cook until corn is thawed.
- Pour the warm veggie mixture over the quinoa. Add the quartered cherry tomatoes and diced avocado.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the quinoa salad and toss together until all veggies are coated.
Notes
Nutrition
I am always looking for new ways to use Quinoa! Thanks!
Check back again soon! We use tons of quinoa in our house so there will be lots and lots of recipes 🙂
This sounds delicious! I love avocado, but I get why your toddler doesn’t – they’ve got such a weird texture! My mum used to get my brother and i to eat them by putting OJ in the stone hollow and telling us it was dessert!
I think it may be a texture thing- you’re right! You know what else has a weird texture? Flan. I just can’t. Your mum was smart with the oj trick btw!
I am always looking for new salad recipes, especially in the summer. This looks like a great way to add some protein to keep the kids fuller longer!
It does keep my little girl full for awhile. It also provides her with so much entertainment! Avocados are SO FUN to paint with lol!
I love quinoa everything, and my go to salad also have a Mexican vibe but uses sweet potatoes and black olives. 😉 This one looks like a great alternative to mix things up!
As a side note a totally remember that toddler life. My son actually loved avocado at that age, but refuses to eat it now at 7. 🙂 His love for chick peas endured though.
I love sweet potatoes and black olives. I do a roasted sweet potato salad when it’s colder out. My kiddo actually loves black olives too. She picks them off my plate when I have them. Funny that your son loved avocado back in the day and won’t eat it now. They change fast don’t they?
I love putting quinoa in to the mix. I’m constantly putting bowls together like this. I will be trying this combo it is something I would eat on a daily basis!! Thanks for sharing.
I have been eating this every day for lunch this week. It’s pretty addicting! Thanks for visiting!
Oh, I love quinoa, and this recipe hits all the notes for me. Thanks for sharing it – I’ll definitely be putting it in our rotation. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by! Hope you like it when you try it!
This looks absolutely delicious! Will have to make this soon!
Thank you! Hope you enjoy it!