Do you automatically sigh when you think about packing lunch?
(I know it's not JUST me!)
There is something about packing lunch, day in and day out, that does not thrill me. And that's how I fell into the: "A PB&J a Day Keeps Me From Being Excited About My Lunch Box Every Day" hole.
Only, I tired of PB&Js 15 years ago.
This past fall, I decided to change my lunch and find a meal that ...
I could make 4-5 lunches from, ahead of time, in 30 minutes or less
Keeps in the fridge for 4 days minimum, without turning gross
Isn't boring AND has some room for variety
So, I started making an easy kale salad that I looked forward to digging into at lunchtime!
... Except, 8 months later, I'm bored again. (Honestly, that salad kept me interested for a long time!)
Cue me finding Ambitious Kitchen's Fiesta Mango Black Bean Quinoa Salad.
Here's the funny thing, usually I'm not into quinoa. Yes, I know it's packed full of protein, versatile, and nutritious. But it's not something I seek out.
I found myself interested in this salad anyway because it includes mango and avocado, AND the recipe says it can be made in under 30 minutes. All things considered, I figured I could overlook the quinoa.
On my weekly grocery store trip, I grabbed the few things I didn't already have in my pantry, and I was excited to find out that mangoes are in season, which means they're more affordable than usual (win!).
Then, because I'm an adult and plan ahead well, I found myself in the middle of back-to-back meetings on a weekday, with only 30 minutes to spare for lunch, and no pre-made lunch in my refrigerator.
Right as I was about to admit defeat and turn back to a trusted, quick (and boring) lunch option, I remembered the new salad and got to work.
Per the instructions, I started my quinoa on the stove first. Then I got out all my veggies (and mango) and chopped them up, adding them to a big bowl as I went. I only went a tad off recipe by adding some orange pepper that needed to be eaten before it went bad.
Next I rinsed the black beans and added them to the bowl. Then whisked together the dressing ingredients. Two minutes before my quinoa beeper alerted me that it was ready, I was finished with the prep!
After fluffing my quinoa and adding it to my bowl, I poured the dressing over everything, and gave the whole thing a few stirs. Voila!
Y'all ... I love this salad. It's got the right amount of spicy and sweet, it's crunchy but not too much, it can be eaten with a spoon (my personal favorite utensil), and it's filling enough on its own.
11/10. I will be eating this the rest of the week, and highly recommend you try it, too!
Get the ingredients & recipe from Ambitious Kitchen, or see below.
For the quinoa:
¾ cup uncooked quinoa
1 ½ cups water
For the salad:
1 (15-ounce) can black beans
1 large mango, diced (about 1 heaping cup diced mango)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, diced
½ cup diced cilantro
¼ cup finely diced red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
For the honey lime chipotle dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder, plus more if you like things a little spicy
1 clove garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Add water and quinoa to a medium pot and place over high heat; bring mixture to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for exactly 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove pot from heat and fluff quinoa with a fork.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, chop all your fruits & veggies. Once done, add them to a large bowl along with your cooked quinoa.
3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing: olive oil, fresh lime juice, honey, dijon, chipotle chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour dressing all over the quinoa salad and toss to combine. Garnish with extra cilantro and pepitas if you’d like. Serve at room temp or cold. Salad will stay good for 4-5 days in the fridge. Serves 4.
*This recipe was created by and belongs to Ambitious Kitchen.
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