Meatless Monday recipe from Marilu's table * Quinoa and black bean salad

This grain-and-bean salad is an excellent main dish (especially when served over a bowl of salad greens), and is perfect for buffets, potlucks, and picnics. It's a great brown-bag meal, too.

Chipotle peppers are sold in small cans in the Mexican/Latin foods aisle of your grocery store. They're quite spicy, so start with one, and if you prefer mild flavors, use only 1/2 Tablespoon adobo sauce. Freeze the rest for later use. If you like your food spicier, add a bit more of the adobo sauce (a teaspoon or so).

Allow the flavors of the salad to develop a bit before serving.

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Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

from Vegetarian Times, July 2001

Blue * Serves 8

2 cups quinoa, rinsed really well under running water

1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

1 chipotle pepper in adobe sauce (comes in a small can), plus 1 Tablespoon of the adobo sauce

2 marinated sun-dried tomatoes

1 Tablespoon minced garlic (about 4 cloves)

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

In medium saucepan, combine quinoa, 4 cups water and pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, cover (or halfway cover) and simmer until most water has been absorbed, 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and let cool.

In small skillet, toast sunflower seeds over medium-high heat until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

In food processor or Vitamix, combine chipotle pepper with 1 Tablespoon adobe sauce, tomatoes, garlic, cumin, cinnamon and salt and process until smooth. With machine running, slowly add oil through fee tube and process until blended. (Freeze remaining chipotle peppers in adobe sauce for other recipes.)

In large bowl, combine beans and quinoa, sunflower seeds and cilantro. Add dressing and toss to mix.