Salad-a-Day #16

Salad-a-Day #16

Grilled Corn & Quinoa Salad

with Black Beans and Yummy Cilantro Dressing

Friday!!!  I love Fridays :)

I am always anxious to spend so many hours with my husband, and see what we decide to do together - even to just stay home and read.

And, the weather here in The Woodlands has been outstanding these last few days.

My leg, although doing much, much better, was swollen today.  I decided to sit outside and prop up my leg - while catching up on my magazine reading.  I'm afraid I have a magazine fetish.  I love a wide variety of magazines... And, unfortunately, I keep them all!!  One of these days, maybe, I will post a picture of my "collection" so that it will embarass me enough to throw some of them out.  I think I can move beyond the point where I am afraid that I will be stranded "somewhere" and "need" them to have some entertainment...  Not to mention my paperback book collection - that is a story for another day...

 

My husband came home a little earlier than usual today.  He grilled for me so that I could make this yummy salad today.  It is really good!  I used quinoa again in a salad like I did on day #2.  You can find that recipe (here).  This recipe is completely different, although, a couple of the ingredients are the same. 

 

Rub butter on corn, then salt and pepper - wrap in foil and grill.  My husband said to grill for 15 minutes on a hot fire.  You can see pork and shrimp kabobs in the back ground that we had for dinner too :)

The corn cut off the cob (I used 3 ears).  We grilled one bell pepper (1/2 red one and 1/2 yellow) and 1/2 sweet onion.  I chopped it up a little more than it is in this picture of the salad.

Salad dressing makings in the blender.  This blender is my $10 special from the grocery store.  I was shopping one day at our local grocery store (HEB) and saw them for only $10!!  I couldn't resist.  Especially since my 20 year-old one was in a bad way...  And, how fabulous is the red color? 

Delicious Dinner - Salad, grilled shrimp and roasted sweet potatoes - yum!

Grilled Corn & Quinoa Salad with Yummy Cilantro Dressing
3 ears of corn, grilled and cut off cob
1 can black beans, drain and rinse
1 cup quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1 bell pepper, grilled and chopped
1/2 onion, grilled and chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
Dressing:
1 cup cilantro leaves (not packed)
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Lime - juiced
2 dashes of hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
(Other ingredients needed are butter for the corn.  Olive oil, salt and pepper and french herbs for grilling the peppers and onions).
Place corn, beans, quinoa, bell pepper, onion, avocado and cherry tomatoes in large bowl. 
For dressing - blend all ingredients in blender until smooth (taste for salt and pepper - add a little at a time until you like the taste).  I like a pretty good bit of the dressing on this salad - it is delicious!!  I would dress the salad individually rather than the whole bowl.  That way your delicious left-overs do not get soggy.
Hints - I rubbed the corn with butter and then sprinkled with salt and pepper then wrapped in foil and my husband grilled for 15 minutes on a hot fire turning two times.  For the veggies toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and french herbs (just a mix of savory herbs).  We grill them in a grill basket for 10 minutes - tossing them around occasionally.  Or, you can cook them in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Either way is fine and the taste is almost the same.

Deliciousness

This can of San Pellegrino Sparkling Blood Orange beverage is wicked delicious.

I wish it did not have 140 calories...  And, I wish they weren't kinda expensive.  But, mostly I wish it had zero calories :)

 

I hope you have a fabulous weekend!!

Until tomorrow,

~ Joeby