Quinoa Salad with Fire-Roasted Red Capia Peppers, Black Beans and Spices

Today I want to share a dish that I came across by chance and adopted with great zeal!  Not only is it fragrant and tasty, it is also packed with plant protein and fiber, a combination that every Greek keeps dear to their heart!.  The original recipe is not mine, it is written by Elizabeth Rider, the host of the TV show Elizabeth Eats  and a certified health coach and wellness expert. Elizabeth's website has a wealth of information about food and wellness and she shares a lot of tasty yet easy-to-make recipes, just the way we like them.

I substituted the bell peppers in her recipe with Tragano Greek Organics roasted Capia peppers, which give a nice tang to the dish since the peppers are preserved in brine.  You also get a little bit of a smoky flavor since these peppers are truly fire-roasted, over a proper flame, and not chemically roasted.  I also used Sparoza's Cooking Blend with Spices & Orange Zest, instead of the original recipe's cumin, for even more of a punch.

Here is the Zelos version of Elizabeth's recipe - you can enjoy it hot or cold, and whichever version you make, I'm sure it will become one of your favorites too!

Ingredients for the quinoa salad

1 cup dry quinoa (you'll get around 2 cups of cooked quinoa)

1 can black beans (plain or spicy)

3-4 Tragano Greek Organics roasted Capia peppers

1/4 cup Tragano Greek Organics extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp Sparoza Cooking Blend with Spices & Orange Zest

1 clove garlic, crushed

Salt to taste

Prepare the quinoa salad

Cook the quinoa according to the package.

Slice and cut the roasted red peppers into small pieces, approximately the size of the beans.

In a large bowl, mix together the extra virgin olive oil, the cooking blend with orange zest, the garlic and some salt.

Add the beans and the roasted red peppers.

When the quinoa is cooked, add it to the bowl and toss gently to mix all the ingredients well. 

Add more olive oil or salt taste - you can also add the juice of half a lemon and some cilantro for an extra fresh flavor.

Enjoy!

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