Mexican themed parties are always loads of fun! This dish doubles as a main course, side dish or nacho dip for later in the evening. While entertaining make sure you have the Mexican Party Playlist by Tex Mex Mix on Spotify for maximum fiesta impact.

upFirst let’s take a moment to discuss Cilantro, you either love it or you hate it and for the most part I really thought cilantro and parsley were the same thing. They are not. However, you can replace cilantro in this recipe with parsley but I should warn you if you do this the black bean flavor won’t open up as well.

Just looking at these ingredients makes me want to party! The chili flakes and cumin seeds in this picture are whole but I use a manual seed grinder to break them up. If you have chili power and cumin powder they will do just as good a job. This is the perfect time to use a firm avocado. It will soften up when it’s integrated into the hot dish and when it’s kept in the fridge over night. If you use a really ripe avocado then you risk it getting all mushy.

What I tell almost all my students who are learning to cook and eat better is that everything tastes awesome cooked in sautéed olive oil and garlic. It’s SO EASY to do and when you get really fancy (like we are here) you can add other herbs or vegetables too your sauté.

Mexican Quinoa Fiesta

PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES
COOK TIME: 25 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 35 MINUTES
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1.5 cups of diced tomatoes fresh or canned!
• 1 cup corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves or parsley for a mild flavor

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add minced garlic and jalapeno, stirring for 1-2 minutes until garlic lightly browns
3. Crush chili flakes and cumin seeds
4. Add in vegetable broth, quinoa, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili flakes and cumin;
5. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
6. Bring pan to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until quinoa is cooked.
7. Stir in avocado, lime juice and cilantro For the health conscious serve hot with chicken strips and for the party conscious pour over nachos add cheese and bake until the cheese is melted.

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