My kids aren’t the biggest bean fans (even though I keep telling them they are the musical fruit) so I have to be a bit sneaky to get them into their diets. This salad has a generous helping of nutrient dense black beans and against all odds – my kids will eat it. Although you can see the beans in this salad, they are so mixed together with the quinoa and other ingredients that the kids kind of forget about them.

This is a flavourful and fresh grain dish that can be served either warm or cold and keeps beautifully in the fridge for a few days. I like to make up a big batch on Monday and have it for a hearty lunch or quick dinner a few times during the week. You can even pop some into a wrap with a bit of hummus or throw it over some mixed greens for a more traditional salad.

Quinoa is considered a superfood because of its wide range of nutritional benefits. It is high in protein, fiber, iron and calcium and it is gluten-free which makes it easy to digest. And when you combine the quinoa with protein-rich beans and super-detoxifying cilantro you end up with a power-packed meal that is tasty and a breeze to throw together.

Yes, the beans can make you a bit…ahem…gassy. But this is actually a good thing to mention around your kids. Trust me, nothing works better than a good fart joke when you are serving a new dish to your family.

Quinoa, Black Bean and Fresh Cilantro Salad

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked organic quinoa
1 1/2 cups of low sodium vegetable broth
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame beans
1 15 oz can of black beans (I like Eden Organics brand)
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned.

Rinse and drain quinoa at least 3 times under cold running water. Add to saucepan and cover with broth. Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in corn and edamame and continue to simmer (covered) for 5 minutes until heated through.

Mix in black beans and cilantro. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!