Quinoa

Isn't it strange the way certain foods go in and out of favor? Who ever heard of it a few years ago, but the new darling of the food world is Quinoa ( pronounced keen-wah). Actually it has been around for thousands of years, being a staple of the ancient Incas and eaten by the natives of Peru, where it grows, for years. I first had it in a Peruvian restaurant in Portland, OR a few years ago. I wondered what that little round grain was that was featured in so many of their dishes. Now it is ubiquitous, even being sold in bulk in Costco. It is a complete protein, gluten free and easy to digest. It has a slightly nutty flavor and can be used anywhere that you would use rice. I've used it several different ways, but here's what I made for dinner tonight. It made a lot, so I'll eat it for several days.

2 cups cooked Quinoa (direction on the package) I used red quinoa this time, but I've also used white. I can't see a difference in taste.
1 can rinsed and drained black beans
1 small can corn niblets or fresh corn if you have it
1/2 sweet red pepper, minced
1/2 small zucchini, minced
3 or 4 stalks celery, minced
1 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro

Dressing.: Juice of one lemon and an equal amount of good olive oil.

Mix all together. After I plated it I added two chopped Compari tomatoes and mixed them in.