Quinoa & Bean Salad

First clean the quinoa by rinsing it under cold water *until the water runs clear* (see note). Place the stock, quinoa and salt into a small pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook for approximately 15 minutes or until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Once done, remove from the heat and let rest, covered, for at least 5 minutes. Once rested, spread the quinoa out onto a plate to cool completely. *NOTE*: Quinoa is coated with saponins, a bitter-tasting compound that deters birds and other animals from eating the seeds. To remove the saponins, rinse the quinoa thoroughly under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear and no longer appears frothy. This means the saponins have been washed away. You can also soak the quinoa in fresh water for 10-15 minutes before rinsing, which loosens the saponins and reduces rinsing time (and also saves water).

To prepare your mise en place, cut the pepper into small dice. *Note: instead of yellow pepper, diced mango would make a nice alternative. Finely dice the red onion, slice the green onions. Seed and dice the tomatoes, and small dice the zucchini and cucumber. Roughly chop the cilantro and set everything aside.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice and chipotle pepper puree in a large bowl. Next, add the black beans, quinoa and all of your mise en place. Gently fold everything together and adjust the seasonings to your liking (i.e., more lime juice, soy sauce, chipotle pepper, avocado, etc.). Serve immediately. It can also be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days.