"My family loves quinoa, and I love black beans, so we mixed the two together and voilà,” notes Sophia. “We serve it with a fresh fruit salad. It is gluten-free and nut-free, and you can make it lactose-free by omitting the cheese." - Sophia Webster, age 12, Minnesota

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients: 

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• ¾ cup uncooked quinoa
• 1½ cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 (15-ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup low-fat cheese, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation: 

1. In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the celery and garlic, and sauté until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the quinoa and vegetable broth. Season with cumin, chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste, and bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes.
2. Add the vegetables and black beans into the saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Top with cheese, if using, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

408 calories; 14g fat; 32g carbohydrates; 23g protein

More information about the Kids' State Dinner:

• Check out the other winning 2014 Kids' State Dinner Recipes here.
• Learn more about Kids' State Dinner here.