Quinoa and Rice Salad with Black Beans and Corn

Ingredients

2 cups water

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup quinoa

1/2 cup rice (long-grain, aromatic like Basmati)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 red onion
pickle juice

1 can black beans

1 can whole corn

1-1 1/2 cup mango chipotle vinaigrette, divided

½ orange bell pepper

½ red bell pepper

1 cup orange cherry tomatoes

1 medium cucumber

1 medium, firm sweet mango

1 bunch parsley

1 4 ounce package feta cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1)    Bring the water to a boil in your kettle.

2)    In a medium size pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add rice, quinoa and salt.  Stir until all grains are evenly coated with the oil.

3)    Add boiling water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes on medium low until all the water has been absorbed.  Chill in refrigerator overnight.

4)    Finely chop onion.  Marinate in pickle juice overnight.

5)    Wash and drain black beans and corn. In a large glass bowl, mix beans and corn with 1 cup of the mango chipotle vinaigrette.

6)    Finely chop bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and mango. Add to bean and corn mixture. Chill in refrigerator overnight.

7)    On the second day, using your fingers, gently separate quinoa and rice grains.  Add to bean and corn mixture.

8)    Finely chop parsley. Add to bean and corn mixture.

9)    Scoop out the onion from the pickle juice.  Add to bean and corn mixture.

10)  Add feta cheese to bean and corn mixture.

     11)  Add salt and pepper to taste. And the remaining mango chipotle vinaigrette, if needed. Mix well and serve chilled.

Brussels Sprouts with Indian spices

2 lbs. Brussels Sprouts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon whole cumin seed

1 teaspoon whole black mustard seed

8 cloves of garlic, grind into paste

2 inches of ginger, grind into paste

1 tablespoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

2 small roma tomatoes, diced

1 lime, juiced

½ bunch cilantro leaves, chopped

1)    Wash and cut Brussels sprouts into bite size chunks, discarding tough stems and leaves.

2)    In a large, heat two tablespoons olive oil on medium heat.  Add cumin and mustard seeds.

3)    When the cumin seeds are browned and the mustard seeds start popping, add ginger-garlic paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.

4)    Add dry spices and cook for 2-3 minutes until aromatic. (If you don't want to deal with all the spices, just use 1-2 teaspoons curry powder.)

5)    Add Brussels sprouts and mix well. Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are crisp-tender.

6)    Add diced tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes.

7)    Remove from heat and mix in lime juice and cilantro leaves. Serve. Makes 8 side dish portions or 4 main dish portions.