I love Mexican flavors, and the addition of quinoa and beans to any salad turns it into a satisfying meal. Not a fan of quinoa? Use any whole grain such as couscous, bulgur wheat or freekeh. No grains? How about some hemp and sunflower seeds…or grated cauliflower? Or leave it out and have the salad as a side dish in a Mexican inspired dinner. And since the salad doesn’t have a lot of leafy greens it can handle the addition of dressing in advance, so it’s perfect to take leftovers to work the next day…but maybe go easy on the onion and garlic.

A few notes on ingredients – black beans and kidney beans can be used interchangeably. Any bean would work, just that black beans are associated more with Mexican cuisine. You can certainly use frozen corn instead of fresh, and change up the sweet pepper to what you have available or prefer. As for the jalapeños, you can go with pickled if you don’t have fresh, or any other mild green chili.

If you plan on making this for a crowd, I highly recommend you order the Portobello “Steak” Tacos from Table11….they would be just perfect! All you need is some tortilla chips and salsa…and you are all set!

Adapted from the Guacamole Salad recipe in Barefoot Contessa at Home