Quinoa Hoppin' Johnny

Source: Inspired by a dish at Firefly Fare in Roanoke, VA

Ingredients:
1.5 cups dry quinoa [keen-wa], prepared (I used this method, with broth; easy, quick, and turned out great)
1 can Great Northern Beans, warmed
1 cucumber, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Directions:
Mix cucumber and tomoatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Top quinoa with beans and then add the cucumber and tomato mixture on top.

Notes: Ryan and I got to go on a dinner date to Roanoke and when we were walking around downtown trying to decide where to eat, we grabbed a quick Quinoa Hoppin' Johnny at Firefly Fare in the Market Square. I asked them what a Hoppin' Johnny was and the server replied by asking me if I knew what quinoa was. I proudly answered yes, but she never really explained what a Hoppin' Johnny was. Thanks to a little internet research, I now know it is a dish created in SC traditionally eaten with collard greens and cornbread on New Year's for good luck (I knew collard greens were eaten that day, but had never heard about this dish). The original recipe uses rice, red beans, and bacon, so obviously this version is a big twist on that. It is delicious, filling, extremely filling, and best of all, does not contain wheat, egg, milk, peanuts, or tree nuts!