(Only sorta) spicy quinoa and black beans

I recently was sent some samples of spices from Spices Inc. and one was their Hill Country chili powder. Instead of making straight-up chili – which I had done not too long ago – I decided to find something else to try. That’s when I came across this recipe from Jenn at Jenn Cuisine. It was simple and delicious! (Hint: Look for a longer review & surprise – *ahem* giveaway *ahem* – about Spices Inc. coming Wednesday!)

I’m kinda a wuss when it comes to heat, so I left out the chilis and the cayenne, which made this much more like the original Jenn posted. I promise it’s delicious without them though. And don’t skip the avocado – it really made this dish for me.

The only problem I had was that the beans didn’t cook enough in the liquid, so precooking them would be a good idea, or use canned beans.

quinoa and black beans

Quinoa and black beans
from Jenn Cuisine

Ingredients:
1 cup dry black beans, soaked overnight, rinsed & precooked
1 tsp canola
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 dried red chiles
1 green bell peppers, diced
1 c quinoa, cooked
1/2 c veggie broth, plus a little extra
1 cup corn
1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional)
3/4 tsp cumin
2 tbs. chili powder
salt & pepper
fresh cilantro
1 avocado, sliced
4 oz. fresh mozz., sliced – I used shredded mexican cheese, as that’s what I had on hand

Directions:
1.  In 12″ cast iron skillet (it will just barely not fit in the 10″), heat up oil, and saute onion, garlic, chiles.
2. Once onions are soft, add in bell peppers, beans, and can of tomatoes (with the juice) along with the broth.  Let simmer a little bit (med to med-low) to help soften the beans some (around 15 min).
3. Add in quinoa, corn, and seasonings, cook stirring so that nothing sticks/burns on the bottom.
4. Bake in oven at 350F for about half an hour (it will start to smell nice).  Check it every 10-15 min or so, and give it a stir just to see how it is doing.
5.  Serve, and immediately top with mozz. , cilantro and avocado.  Since it’s hot, the mozz. should melt right away.  Alternatively, you could bake the mozz right on top once the dish is almost done.

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