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.

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

Servings: 2 People
Print

*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.