There are few things in life that I feel better about eating than Costco's quinoa salad. Its healthy, full of flavor, with a delicious good for you crunch. In case you don't have a Costco near you, or GASP! don't have a membership, never fear. We have come up with our own recipe for this delicious quinoa goodness. 

2 cups red and white quinoa (mixed)
1/3 cup tablespoon olive oil
6 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup cucumbers, diced
1 cup cooked mung bean
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons fresh kale, minced
salt and pepper

Rinse and boil your quinoa in 6 cups water with a spinkling of salt. Simmer on reduced heat for about 15 minutes until tender. Remove from heat and toss with olive oil. Add vinegar and lemon juice & zest. Mix in vegetables, beans, and herbs. Season to taste. Serve immediatley. 

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Have you ever cooked with mung bean before? (Also called moong beans or green grams.) Mung beans are native to India, but are commonly used in dishes all throughout Asia. They can sometimes be a little bit trickier to find, I found mine at a local Afrian market of all places. Don't be scared. Yes its unusual, yes, its green, but yes, its delicious. 

I used our mung bean to make a curried soup. This is delicious served over rice like you would see served somewhere in India or Asia. Its savory and filling, and like most recipes found here, a great divergent away from a typical week night meal. 

Ingredients: 
2 cups dried mung beans
2 1/2 tablespoons beef bouillon 
7 cups water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion
2 garlic gloves
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger 
1 cup coconut milk
Salt and pepper as needed

Directions: 
In a large pot bring your bouillon and water to a boil, add your beans and boil for about 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer covered for another 40 minutes. You want your beans to be soft to the taste and the consistency of bean vs liquid to resemble a thick soup, almost a paste. Mash just a bit with a potato masher to break up the liquid into more of a paste. Dice your onions and mince your garlic. In a separate pan heat your oil, add your onion and garlic, season with salt and pepper. Add your curry and ginger. Cook on medium heat until onions soften and are translucent. Add your onion mixture to the bean mixture. Simmer for 2-3 more minutes, then add your coconut milk. Mix together and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve over 

I was delightfully surprised at how delicious this dish was and it will be going in our regular rotation. Even my 2 year old asked for a second helping, and we all know how hard it can be to get a toddler to eat. It manages to be a satisfying vegetarian dish with hints of sweetness, an full bodied flavor. Give it a try, you won't regret it.