Best Summer Quinoa Salad w/ Avocado, Black Beans & Corn, Oh My!

Every season I seem to make a quinoa salad that turns into a favorite.

Last fall it was the delicious holiday quinoa w/ roasted grapes, brussels sprouts & butternut squash.

Last summer it was the quinoa w/ cherries and pistachios (so yummy).

The spring brought us quinoa paired w/ roasted beets, sweet potatoes, mint & cashews...........I could go on and on.

Well, here is my contribution to the summer quinoa series.

This is the perfect salad to bring to a BBQ or picnic, because it's great at room temperature and needs no refrigeration. It is excellent with grilled foods, and I loved it for lunch.

It's my new favorite (until the next one!) quinoa recipe.

Quinoa w/ Avocado, Black Beans & Corn: (inspired by Creative Culinary)

1 cup of quinoa
2 cups of chicken stock (or water)
1 large avocado, not mushy, diced
juice and zest of a lime
can of black beans, drained & rinsed (I like Goya beans)
3/4 cup of grilled corn (or Trader Joe's Chili Corn Salsa)
big bunch of scallions (from my garden), sliced
1 rib of a red bell pepper, cut into small dice
kosher salt
handful of cilantro, chopped

Cook the quinoa in the stock until the liquid is absorbed, and set aside to cool.

Sprinkle the avocado pieces w/ kosher salt in a large bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients, and squeeze the lime juice all over everything.

You may need a drizzle of olive oil if you make this ahead, so it doesn't dry out, but I found the 1 lime was enough.

Gently mix everything together.

Sprinkle w/ fresh cilantro and enjoy.

This recipe can easily be doubled for a crowd, and I think next time I will add sliced cherry tomatoes.

Healthy and delicious.