Black Bean-Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing

I like how eating healthy feels- you feel a lot different when you eat an In-N-Out burger, shake and fries than when you eat, say, something like Black Bean-Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing (even though that In-N-Out stuff is pretty darn good). This recipe is fantastic- and I have now cooked with tofu! I've never done so- it wasn't hard, and it tasted really good. The serving size is 1 cup of salad on top of a bed of spinach- and that is enough to fill you up, trust me! Quinoa is a great whole grain- I love its texture and flavor. And there's something about a mixture of fresh lemon juice, zest, fresh basil, tomatoes- when these flavors come together, you can't go wrong. This salad is fresh, light, and delicious. Enjoy!

Black Bean-Quinoa Salad with Basil-Lemon Dressing

Yield: 10 servings (serving size- 1 cup)

1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa

3 cups vegetable broth

1 14-oz package firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

3 Tb olive oil

1 1/4 tsp salt

1 cup chopped fresh basil (this is about the equivalent of one of those small containers at the store)

3 Tb fresh lemon juice

2 Tb Dijon mustard

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 15-oz can baby lima beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups chopped tomato

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat. Place tofu on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand for 5 minutes. Heat 1 Tb oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Saute tofu 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; cool completely. Combine remaining 2 Tb oil, remaining 1 tsp salt, basil, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Stir in quinoa. Add the lima beans, tofu, tomato, green onions, carrot and black beans to quinoa mixture; stir gently to combine. Store, covered, in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve the salad on a bed of spinach.

Calories 232, fat 6.2g (sat-0.6g, mono 3.7g, poly 1.2g), iron 3.8mg, calcium 68 mg, sodium 772mg, carbohydrate 35.1g, protein 9.8g, fiber 6.7g