Greek Quinoa Salad [Recipe]
I have a new love … quinoa.
It’s odd for me to say that. I’ve used quinoa before – but was annoyed at the very first step in cooking quinoa … the rinsing. Dry quinoa is so tiny you can’t use a regular strainer. You have to use a mesh sieve. And it’s annoying.
But – a while back, a loyal reader reminded us of this super food. And then, not long after that, some friends of ours brought us a delicious salad made up of quinoa and all sorts of veggies.
So I decided it was time to break out the box that had been in our pantry for a while. And I discovered … once you get past the annoying rinse factor … it’s pretty stinkin’ delicious.
Using a few different recipes as ideas, I made up my own using some of our favorite ingredients. The final result? A greek quinoa salad that was AH-MA-ZING. Try it yourself … and tell us what you think!
Greek Quinoa Salad
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup dry quinoa (you can use white, red, or a mixture of the two)
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups of chickpeas
1 small cucumber
1 roasted red bell pepper (we roast our own)
4 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
salt
Fresh ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
Cover quinoa with water and leave on the counter to soak for 1-4 hours.
Drain and rinse quinoa (remember … you need that sieve or a really tiny colander!). Bring 3/4 cup of water to boiling, add quinoa, cover and bring back to boiling. When boiling, turn down the heat and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed.
Helpful Hint: You can prepare your quinoa ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the salad.
While quinoa is cooking, chop your cucumber and roasted red pepper and put in a bowl with the chickpeas. Mix well.
When the quinoa is done, add it to the bowl and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Add feta cheese and mix well.
In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad.
You can eat immediately, or put it in your fridge until you’re ready to eat it.
What are your favorite ways to eat quinoa?
