Quirky Quinoa Salad

February 14, 2014

Cooking with Quinoa!
Quinoa will bite you on the butt. It’s a whole grain with all the goodness that goes with that and it cooks quickly, so you have no excuses not to cook and eat whole grains. And this salad? Ay, ay, ay, it’s good.

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredient List:

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
  • 2 cups spring or filtered water
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1 cup snow peas, tips removed
  • ½ roasted red pepper, sliced into ribbons
  • ½ cucumber, diced, do not peel
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh flatleaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 2-3 scallions, minced
  • 2 sprigs fresh mint, coarsely chopped

Dressing

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Generous pinch sea salt
  • Generous pinch ground pepper
  • Generous pinch garlic powder

Step By Step Instructions:

Cook the quinoa. Place quinoa and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Add salt, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed.

While the quinoa cooks, make the dressing. Whisk ingredients together and adjust seasonings to your taste. This may look like a tiny amount of dressing, but too much of it will make the quinoa mushy.

When the quinoa is ready, stir in veggies. The heat of the quinoa will cook them just a bit, making them tender. Fold in dressing and serve. You may serve this hot, warm or at room temperature.