Quinoa and Black Bean Risotto

Another day of whole food done and last night's dinner was fabulous!  

It's easy to make and so good for you.  

I love doing things with black beans, and anything with quinoa is a win-win. 

So why not combine the two? 

The cooking method is similar to my pumpkin risotto.   

If you know me at all you know I like to tweak things up, and sneak in some nutrition here and there. 

Not that we really eat bad already, but who couldn't do with another dose of healthy nutrition whenever and wherever you can get it? 

Right?  

Let's get cookin'!

Quinoa and Black Bean Risotto

In a large skillet combine the following:

1 Tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil

1 cup white rice

1/2 cup quinoa

(remember I'm feeding a family of 7 so adjust your amounts of grain accordingly)

Heat oil in pan and pour dry grain in.

Stir to coat with oil and toast grains for a few minutes, stirring freqently.

For the black beans, you could use one storebought can of black beans, undrained.

I usually make my own beans in my pressure cooker.

Here's the quick how to:

In your pressure cooker put 2 cups dry black beans and 6 cups water.

Mince up a piece of crystalized ginger. (this helps greatly reduce the fluffy tummy effect of the beans)

1 tsp olive oil.

Attach lid and bring to high pressure, 2nd ring if it's a Fissler or Kuhn Rikon.

Turn heat down to low and pressure for 30 minutes.

When time is done, remove from heat and let pressure come down naturally.

Add salt to taste.

Since I just made beans earlier in the day, scooped out some of the cooked beans and poured about 1-2 cups of the bean cooking liquid onto the rice/quinoa mixture.  Stir to evenly distribute the beans and liquid.

Cook over medium high heat.

Stir frequently and add more liquid as the grains start to plump up. About 1/2 - 1 cup at a time.

Continue to cook and stir until rice is cooked and you can see the little tails on the quinoa.

Remove from heat and add:

2 Tbsp taco seasoning

2 Tbsp minced garlic

Salt and Pepper to taste.

While the beans/quinoa was cooking, I sauteed an onion in some olive oil.

Serve over a bed of lettuce.  I'm using Arugula from my garden and some chopped fresh spinach.  There are a few crunched up corn chips at the bottom, just cause I have a weakness for good corn chips.

Spoon the risotto over the greens and top with chopped cilantro, tomatoes, mangoes, and salsa.

Cheese would be good on this, but I didn't even miss it.

I put all the ingredients out on the counter and let the kids dish it up buffet style.  Some ate it like nachos, another like a burrito, another like dip, and one just ate it plain with a spoon.  He even asked if we could have it every night.  Love that kid!

Black Bean and Quinoa Risotto.

Yummy!