Healthy Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1 lime
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste

1. Rinse the quinoa under cold running water until the water runs clear.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water, then bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the quinoa is cooked through and the water is absorbed.
4. Remove the cooked quinoa from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork and allow it to cool to room temperature.
5. While the quinoa is cooling, prepare the other salad ingredients: drain and rinse the black beans, dice the ripe mango, dice the red bell pepper, chop the fresh cilantro, and finely chop the red onion.
6. In a large bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, black beans, diced mango, diced red bell pepper, chopped cilantro, and chopped red onion.
7. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, salt, and black pepper to create a dressing.
8. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss everything together to combine and coat the salad evenly with the dressing.
9. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and black pepper if needed.
10. Serve the salad immediately, or cover and refrigerate to let the flavors meld. The salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.