Black Bean, Kale, & Quinoa Salad with a Spicy Honey & Red Wine Vinegar Dressing

I love salads that are full of taste! I used to hate vegetables. I’d go to someone’s house and take the meat and potatoes and pass on the salad, peas, green beans, etc. A “meat & potatoes” girl…that is how I have always described myself. But now? Ah, give me a good salad! 🙂

This one has so many of my new favorite things in it, and it was the first time I used quinoa in a salad. Would I do it again? Yes, yes, yes! So good! I am finding that putting quinoa and black beans in my salads, egg dishes, etc., really makes them so much more filling and delicious!

I used one of my new favorite combinations as a dressing for this salad: honey, chile powder, and red wine vinegar.

• Servings: 2 People
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*Created by Lori at Creating Beauty in the Kitchen

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1 cups water
• 1 can black beans
• Kale
• Red onions
• Chili powder
• Cherry tomatoes
• 1 avocado
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Honey
• Red wine vinegar

 

• Put 1 cup of water into a saucepan and boil.
• When the water comes to a boil, add in the quinoa until it begins to boil again.
• Reduce to medium heat, place a lid on the saucepan, and let simmer for about 12 minutes or until it has sucked up all the water. (You may want to check on it a few times. If all the water soaks up too soon the quinoa will become really crunchy.).
• When this is finished, take it off of the heat, stir it, cover again, and let sit for 15 minutes.
• While quinoa is cooking, cut up the onions. Pour the olive oil in a large skillet and add the onions, sauteing them. After a few minutes, add in the black beans and some chili powder and let cook, stirring occasionally.
• Wash the kale and tear it into small pieces. Wash the tomatoes and cut them in half. Put some in two different bowls.
• When quinoa is done, split it between the two bowls. Add in the bean/onion mixture.
• Scoop out half of an avocado for each salad.
• Combine the honey, red wine vinegar, and chili powder to make the dressing. I used more honey than I did red wine vinegar, but you might want to experiment and see what you like.