If I could give this six stars, I would. This satisfies ALL my requirements for a "great" recipe! Get a load of this, and I am not exaggerating: it's quick and easy, inexpensive, attractive to look at, delicious, and very very healthy. It travels AND refrigerates well and it can be eaten hot or cold. What else is there to say? I like to double the batch and bring it to work all week for lunch. Sometimes I add chopped red bell pepper to the onion and garlic saute, but that's mostly for added color and nutrition. It's also excellent just the way it is! Two thumbs up!
This recipe was great! I served it as a side dish, but it definitely has potential to be a main course. I used one can of black beans and chicken stock because I didn't have veggie stock on hand. Next time I'll add a drained can of tomatoes with green chiles. I let my quinoa soak while I did my prep work, a total of about 10 minutes, and the quinoa came out soft and mushy (like a wet couscous). I think you can skip the soaking part for a firmer, "al dente" quinoa and that should taste fine. I think soaking for an hour would have turned it completely into mush.
This one gets five stars. We had never tried quinoa, so we weren't sure what to expect. I followed another reviewer's tip to rinse the quinoa well before cooking, and there was no bitter taste.
My changes: Added the liquid from a can of tomatoes to chicken broth to make 1-1/2 cups, added a can of Costco chicken breast, and diced a orange bell pepper I had on hand. We added grated cheddar and sour cream at the table.
The seasonings were very nice, although next time (and there WILL be a next time) I will likely add a tiny bit more cayenne pepper.
My husband really raved over this one, although he tends to be wary of new "health" foods. He was also please with how economical this recipe can be.
This is a winner!
Really good. I followed the others advise and added to the recipe. I added zucchini and tomato as well as fresh lemon juice. I used only one can of beans but I only had a half a cup of Quinoa left. We put it in tortillas with raw cabbage and avacado and it was so fresh and delish. Good for you, easy and tasty.
The proportions and flavors are mostly good, and I changed the directions only slightly. Two cans of black beans seemed too much to me, so I stopped at one. Make sure you rinse your quinoa if it needs it! Otherwise this might come out very bitter. Also, hold back your garlic until your onions are at least halfway done or it will burn, and throw in the quinoa shortly after. Toasting it lends amazing flavor. Then, add the spices and saute for a moment more, mixing thoroughly, before adding the broth of your choice. Otherwise a great recipe. Thank you!
I'd never prepared nor eaten quinoa before (pronounced “keen-wa”; I didn't even know that!). ;) It is supposed to be very healthy & a complete protein, so I wanted to try it. This was a spicy hot dish, but not too much for us. I used olive oil instead of veg oil, and chicken broth rather than veg broth. I only used one can of black beans; two would have been too much; I'd prefer that the quinoa stand out more than the beans. We really liked this dish and I will make it again.
I used bulgur wheat instead of quinoa (I'm a poor college student and the bulgur was MUCH cheaper!) but the recipe was still fantastic!!! The spices are just right! I used 1 can of black beans and 1 can of corn , and partially cooked the bulgur before adding it to the onions and garlic. The recipe seems pretty forgiving and would probably work with a variety of grains. Delicious and healthy! Will make again!
My husband loved this! I decided at the last minute to use only one can of black beans. I put the first one in, and it seemed like another one would be overkill. I've never cooked quinoa before, but my husband has, and he says this is a great recipe. I did use the veggie broth, but may use chicken broth next time. Served with salsa chicken from this site, and they blended well together. I mixed the cooked salsa "juices" into the quinoa for a great taste experience. Also served with an avocado and sour cream. Delicious!
Many reviewers reported the dish ended up mushy or soupy. Quinoa is a very, very delicate grain, so I modified the recipe as follows: I cooked the quinoa, spices and broth in a separate saucepan, according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, I sauted the onions, and garlic. Then I added the beans/corn. When onions/beans/corn were heated through, I VERY gently tossed in the cooked quinoa & cilantro, being careful not to stir too much. Turned out great! I hope this is helpful for other readers.
Agree with other reviewers that 1 can of black beans is enough. Interesting combo, but quite light. Would want this to be more flavorful, if it is to stand on its own vs. as a side dish.
