Mexican Quinoa Salad

Here it is... my first post. Oh boy!

With this heat wave refusing to let up, I've been leaning toward lighter fare these days, and this salad fit the bill. I was inspired by a recent blog discovery, Eating for England. Black beans, avocado, cilantro if you want it (I was lazy), and a cumin-lime dressing all lend it a Mexican flavor. The bulk of the salad comes from quinoa, which is packed full of nutrients AND protein, but you could always serve it over greens if you need a bit more volume. Delish!

Mexican Quinoa Salad
Makes 4 servings

3/4 cup dry quinoa, rinsed (I used a combination of red and white because that's what I had on hand)
15-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1 small red onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
Juice of 2 limes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
12 tortilla chips (I used Tostitos Hint of Lime)

Note: if you plan on leaving some leftovers (mine will be used for lunch tomorrow), then only cut up the avocado you plan on eating presently. Leave the rest of the avocado on the pit and refrigerate so that it does not turn brown.

1. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, prepare all other ingredients. To make the dressing, combine lime juice, oil, cumin, garlic, and salt, and whisk; adjust seasoning as necessary.
3. When the quinoa has finished cooking, remove form heat and fluff with a fork or spatula. Mix in rinsed black beans to warm. Add the remaining ingredients, including the dressing, and mix. Adjust seasoning if necessary and top with crumbled tortilla chips