Eating Healthy(er) and Quinoa & Black Beans

Man, those two months of hockey, beer and potato chips really did a number on my figure. I actually struggled to get a skirt I've had for years over my hips today.  Note to the Canucks: if you're going to last that long in the playoffs, kindly win it next time?  Too many potato chips were eaten at my house.

Anyway, with summery fruit coming into season and hockey being over, I seem to be back on track.  For breakfast this morning, I had peanut butter and banana on a whole wheat bun - toasted a bit in the sandwich maker, then leftover onion/bell pepper/black bean fajitas with fresh avocado in two mini tortillas for lunch, and I have a big container of fresh strawberries for my afternoon snack. Dinner tonight will be a simple pasta primavera with cooked flat noodles, earth balance, tomatoes, zucchini, salt and pepper and fresh parsley. Perhaps a squeeze of lemon and fresh tarragon from my herb garden?

I might have some exciting news in a week or two that I must keep under wraps for the time being, but suffice it to say for the purposes of this post, I expect it to bring good things to this blog going forward. I am feeling reinvigorated, so stay tuned, veg-heads!

Here's a quick recipe I'll be making very very soon - it's quick and YUMMY:

Quinoa and Black Beans

1 tsp veg oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic (or more), chopped
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1.5 cups veg broth (or chicken flavoured veg broth)
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until lightly browned.  Add quinoa and cover with broth.  Season with cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes.  Add corn and continue to simmer about 5 minutes until heated through.  Add cilantro and serve.

This would probably be cooked with a few raw, chopped tomatoes thrown in, too....and I probably (read: definitely) amp up the spices in this.  Keep tasting until it's "yours".

Update July 27 - made this last night (hence the picture) and I actually mixed the cilantro right into the pot right before serving, as opposed to using as garnish.  However, we added chopped, seeded tomatoes to the top and one or more of us sprinkled parmesan on top - yummy!