No. 1 : Quick Recipe
Slow Cooker Black Bean and Quinoa Stew
- 1 ½ Cups Tri-Color Quinoa
- 2 TB Olive Oil
- 3 Cups Veggie or Chicken Broth
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- 1 TB Turmeric
- 3 Cans (15 oz) Black Beans (this is about the only recipe I EVER use the sauce in a can of beans. I’m keeping it for the flavor in this stew.)
- ½ tsp Cayenne
- 2 Large Garlic Cloves, grated
- 2 TB Cilantro, chopped plus more for garnish
- 2 TB Lime Juice
- Nonfat Greek Yogurt, cheese, Jalapeños, fresh or pickled, brown or yellow rice, tortilla chips – your choice as toppers or sides.
Step One
Place quinoa into a 6-quart slow cooker. Add oil, broth, salt and turmeric.
Step Two
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. Quinoa is done when liquid is almost absorbed.
Step Three
Add beans with sauce and close lid. Cook on high about 30 minutes or until beans are warm. Stir in cayenne, garlic, cilantro and lime juice. Serve topped with cilantro and your choice of garnishes.
No. 2 : Kitchen Scoop
I served it with Yellow Brown Rice in the photo above
Yellow Brown Rice
- 2 Cups Brown Rice
- 1 TB Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Turmeric
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 4 Cups Water
Sauté the brown rice in olive oil, turmeric, and black pepper until a little more golden. Bring water to a boil. Add to the rice, bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, until tender.
No. 3 : Get Creative
Soup makes a cold winter day warm – nothing like the aroma of garlic and beans to fill the kitchen with a feeling of home. Even though this recipe is super easy to make, I often double the recipe, because it freezes so well and we can enjoy it for lunch or dinner in the future, too.
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No. 4 : Cheers!
Pichot Vouvray
Loire Valley France
About $18.00
Vouvray is just one of the delicious white wines of the Loire Valley in France. It hails from the Touraine district, located just east of the city of Tours. The wine is made from the Chenin Blanc grape, but is named Vouvray because that is the town where it is from – a typical naming convention of wines from the “old world” of Europe. Vouvray is just barely off dry, very fruit forward and soft. That’s why it sings with the black beans, garlic and pepper; its honeyed taste is a super foil for the slightly spicy flavors.