What's For Dinner?

I made a crazy-tasty dinner tonight, so I though I'd share. It wasn't from a recipe and doesn't have a name, but it was basically a Tex-Mex quinoa salad. I served it with fresh sliced avacado and a cheese quesadilla.

Recipe for the quinoa salad:

3 C quinoa, cooked
1 can black beans, rinsed well
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, seeded & chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
juice of two limes

Spices to taste:
salt & pepper
red chili powder (1/4 t)
ground, toasted coriander seeds* (1/2 t)
ground, toasted cumin seeds* (1/2 t)
chopped fresh cilantro (1/4 C)

Mix well and chill before serving. Makes about six cups.

You could use another grain or rice, but quinoa has been getting a lot of press lately as a superfood, and it's also a favorite of the gluten-free crowd. I was suprised how much I actually liked it!

*About ground, toasted coriander and cumin seeds... we always keep these whole seeds handy and toast as needed in a miniature skillet, for 2-3 minutes. Grind toasted seeds with a mortar/pestle. It really doesn't take much extra time, but the flavors are amazing. Toasted coriander particularly adds a nutty, citrus-y note without the acidity of lemon or lime.