Southwestern Quinoa

Good morning, and happy Tuesday!  Did y'all catch The Bachelor last night?  I won't spoil anything, but I've got to say I'm happy this season is over.  As fake as this show probably is (as it's only worked for about 4 couples out of 27), I feel like Juan Pablo made more of a mockery of it than it already does itself.

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I will say, I'm very proud of the #2 girl, the way she handled herself, and the way she felt empowered with her actions after he let her go.  I really, really hope that young, insecure women saw her actions and know that they do not need to wallow in an unhealthy relationship.  As one of those young, insecure girls when I was younger, I wish I had seen how she handled herself.  More power to her!!

Ok, #endrant.  Now, to the originally scheduled post!

It's been quite a while since I shared a recipe on here!  I've been promising this one for a while, so hopefully the wait has been worth it!  This dish came about on the fly when I was only cooking for myself.  It's protein-packed and pretty healthy (depending on the amount of cheese you add).  It's also meatless, so those of you who participate in Meatless Monday are in luck today!

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

-1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed

-1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

-1 cup salsa

-1/2 cup cheddar cheese (more or less to taste)

-diced onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, as desired

Directions:

1)  Cook quinoa as directed in a medium-sized pot.  Let stand for about 5 minutes

2)  As quinoa is cooking, sautee onions, peppers, and tomatoes until soft.

3)  After quinoa is ready, mix in the black beans until well combined.  

4)  Mix in salsa (can add more to taste) until well combined.

5)  Mix in sauteed vegetables until well combined.

6)  Spoon mixture into bowls.  Add desired amount of shredded cheddar cheese top.  Mix cheese in and enjoy!

I think added some sliced avocado on top would make this dish even better!  It would also add an additional power food to this already-healthy meal.

Question for you: What's your go-to power food?  What's your favorite meatless recipe?