Simple Quinoa Salad with Fresh Vegetables

Now that the weather is getting warmer it’s a great time to visit your local farmer’s market. There are plenty of fresh vegetable, herbs, and fruits to enjoy.

Here is a simple recipe for quinoa salad that I made using fresh vegetables from my local farmer’s market.  When cooking quinoa it is important to rinse the quinoa as much as possible.  I used rinse it 4-5 times in cold water and then let it soak for about an hour.  I find that this really helps to avoid stomach upset after eating quinoa.  The best part is that quinoa is a great source of protein and it’s gluten free and vegan as well!

1 cup of quinoa

1 1/2 cups of cold water

Vegetables to add:

1 cucumber

1 heirloom tomato

1/2 red onion

Seasoning:

Fresh cilantro chopped (to taste)

3 T olive oil

cumin, salt, pepper, and red chili pepper (to taste)

1.  Rinse quinoa and add to pot with cold water.

2. Bring to boil and then bring it down to a simmer and cover pot.

3.  Cook quinoa for about 15 minutes then remove lid and fluff. Let cool

4.  Chop all vegetables and add along with seasoning to the cooled quinoa.

5.  Serve!