Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad with Black Beans and Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

This post has been sponsored by SEEDS OF CHANGE™. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Nothing makes me happier than salad season. It comes when the weather’s warm and all you want to do is grill up something yummy to pair with a quick and easy side salad. And I’m kicking things off this year with a super fun SEEDS OF CHANGE™ Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic Salad with Black Beans and Honey-Lime Vinaigrette. The name may be long but I promise, it comes together in less than 15 minutes!

I love a hearty grain salad that pairs on the side of just about anything, brightens up a BBQ, or stands well all on its own for a packed lunch. That’s where SEEDS OF CHANGE™ Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic comes in!

I pick up my Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic at Shaw’s right in the rice aisle. SEEDS OF CHANGE™ has a full line of flavors to choose from! I love stopping into Shaw’s for my last minute grocery needs because it’s always quick, they always have what I’m looking for, and their mobile app makes it super easy to save with coupons right at your fingertips. (Psst… if you haven’t downloaded Shaw’s mobile app, get it today!)

Save on SEEDS OF CHANGE™ products at Shaw’s from June 10 - July 21.

I make sure to keep my pantry stocked with this delicious grain blend for all my last-minute salad/side dish needs. Instead of having to wait 20 or even 40 minutes for your grains to cook, these convenient SEEDS OF CHANGE™ packets are ready in 90 seconds, use only organic ingredients, and are wildly convenient without sacrificing on taste or quality.

I was recently introduced to the SEEDS OF CHANGE™ brand at Shaw’s and am seriously in love with not only the flavor but also their mission. SEEDS OF CHANGE™ brand donates 1% of all sales to help grow and support community-based gardens and farms. To date, they've given nearly $2 million to help more people enjoy real food grown from seed. Most recently, the brand awarded a $115,000 grant to a non-profit in D.C. to support urban farming and help provided access to fresh food for communities living in food deserts.

I’ve been super passionate about the topic of food deserts for many years now. If you’re not familiar with the term, a food desert is an area, especially one with low-income residents, in which there is little or no access to affordable or quality fresh food. While there may be a McDonald’s or convenience store selling chips and soda on every other corner in an urban neighborhood, a trip to the closest grocery store to purchase leafy greens and fresh fruit may require a 2-hour bus ride each way.

In the state of Massachusetts alone, food deserts affect over 2 million people. And the impact is far larger than simply not being able to make a side salad on a weeknight. Food deserts have been linked with a lot of health issues including diabetes, childhood obesity and malnutrition.

It’s a huge problem that all too often seems too far out of the realm of our control. So it’s incredible to be able to support a company that gives back to help provide the resources and support to not only feed these communities but to teach them how to sustainably feed themselves. It’s that whole “teach a man to fish” proverb come to life in the most inspiring way.

So I’m incredibly honored to partner with SEEDS OF CHANGE™ to bring you this new recipe and share their mission with you, so that you, too, can feel empowered in the grocery aisle.

This Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad with Black Beans and Honey-Lime Vinaigrette has quickly become my go-to summer salad. It comes together in less than 15 minutes and is the perfect accompaniment to any summer grilled dinner or to bring with you to pool parties and BBQs all summer long. Or, maybe use this recipe as part of your weekly meal prep for a well-rounded lunch that you’ll feel good about!

The combination of black beans, corn, tomatoes and cilantro is such a classic, but what puts this over the edge is the generous drizzle of honey-lime vinaigrette over the top. The mix of fresh lime juice, honey, olive oil and dijon mustard is seriously dreamy.

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5 from 2 votes

Quinoa and Brown Rice Salad with Black Beans and Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 5 cups

Ingredients

• 1 package SEEDS OF CHANGE™ Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic
• 1 10 oz. bag frozen corn thawed
• 1 15 oz. can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
• 1/2 cup red onion diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 jalapeno sliced

Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

• 2 limes juiced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• Prepare the vinaigrette: In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey, dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cumin. Set aside.
  
  
• Prep all your vegetables: Halve the grape tomatoes, dice the red onion, chop the cilantro, and make sure your corn is fully thawed and drain off any extra liquid from the bag.
  
  
• Heat a medium skillet over medium-low heat, add the contents of the Quinoa and Brown Rice packet, and break apart any clumps. Add in 2 tablespoons of water and stir. Cook for 3-5 minutes until warmed all the way through.
  
  
• Grab a large bowl and add in the warmed Quinoa and Brown Rice from the skillet, plus the corn, black beans, tomatoes, red onion, cilantro and jalapeno. Drizzle on the vinaigrette and toss.

Save now on SEEDS OF CHANGE ™ Quinoa and Brown Rice at your local Shaw’s and learn more about their incredible mission here.