Quinoa. You've seen it in the stores, and (if you're like me) wondered how to pronounce it, let alone prepare it. Wonder no more. KEEN-wah. Simple. Delicious. Highly nutritious. And did you know you can buy it for a great price at Costco? Yes, ma'am!

I made my first batch a few years ago and had a hard time adjusting to the taste. A couple months ago, I tried this Quinoa salad here and loved it. Now that dairy is a thing of the past, I was in search for another quinoa recipe.

I was more than amply satisfied. Perfecto! So here you go, adapted from the recipe here.

Quinoa and Black Bean Pilaf

1-3 Tbsp. water
1 onion, chopped
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth 
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. cayenne
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup organic frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Add a thin layer of water to a medium sized pot. Stir in onions and garlic. "Saute" about 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent.
2. Add quinoa to the pan and cover with vegetable broth. Add cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Turn heat off. Add corn, beans, and cilantro.