Black Bean Quinoa Rainbow Salad

Out of all the delicious things you can grow in a garden, it's beans that really capture my heart. Yes, plain old, good old beans. They come in all shapes, colors, and sizes, so there's always new varieties to discover. Eating fresh snap beans throughout the summer months is a great pleasure, but I find it even more enjoyable to harvest dry beans that you can store through the whole year, enjoying the bounty of your garden through the winter months.

If you've ever wanted to try saving your own seeds to re-plant the following year, beans are one of the easiest crops to start with because they generally don't cross-pollinate each other. All you have to do is pick them when theyre dry, store them in a cool dry place, and you'll have your own supply of dry beans for eating, as well as for planting again. Growing up, my mom did this and her cupboards were filled with colorful jars of rare, heirloom beans of every kind. When it comes to growing beans, the options are endless! If you're starting to think about what to grow in your garden next summer and are curious to try new varieties, check out Seed Savers Exchange and Adaptive Seeds' beautiful beans.

One of our own favorite varieties is a large black bean called Black Coco. They are plump and shiny and look like beautiful jewels. They're also meaty and flavorful so they're my first choice when making this colorful black bean and quinoa salad. The idea for this salad was passed on to me by a friend who sprang to my rescue when I was looking for ways to use up a particularly bountiful crop one year. But you can really use any variety of black bean you like. Black Turtle beans are probably the easiest to find. But whichever bean you use, I encourage you to soak and prepare dry beans yourself instead of using the ones from a can. For one, it's cheaper. But also, canned beans are sometimes a little mushy. When you cook them yourself, you can make sure they're tender but still holding their shape. Last but not least, cooking dry beans from scratch helps you to avoid the harmful chemicals found in the lining of metal cans.

This salad has the fresh vibrant tastes of mango, avocado, cilantro, lime, and cumin. If you like these flavors and appreciate a healthy, hearty salad, you're going to absolutely love this recipe! It's protein-rich and full of vitamins and antioxidants... good for your tastebuds and good for your belly too. Bon appétit!

Aube is a passionate organic gardener and home cook who likes to share the stories of how food gets to our dinner plates. Her work has been shown on television and at international film festivals. Her web series was nominated for a 2014 James Beard Award. In 2012, she was the recipient of Saveur Magazine's Best Food Blog award in the video category.