Quinoa & Veggie Salad

I’ve been wanting to share this recipe with you. It’s simple to make, and has been a big hit with our friends when I bring it to potlucks. Quinoa, Veggies, Herbs… delicious!

I tend to make this recipe in the late summer or early fall when there is an abundance of fresh vegetables in the garden. The great thing about this recipe is that you can adapt it, and add whatever fresh veggies and herbs you happen to have on hand.

Start with quinoa.

I cook the quinoa differently with this recipe than I do when I make Quinoa Hot Cereal. When I make the hot cereal, I cook the quinoa on the stovetop and don’t mind if the quinoa gets overcooked and a bit mushy, because it’s going to taste amazing that way.

When making this recipe, I prefer to bake the quinoa. I mentioned in the post about Quinoa Hot Cereal that I usually soak grains before cooking them, but not with quinoa. No need to soak it first. But I do like to plan ahead and bake the quinoa for this recipe the day before so it can fully cool before adding all the other ingredients.

To prepare the quinoa, use two cups water for every cup of quinoa you plan to make. For this recipe, I’ve been doing two cups quinoa (for a nice, big batch) and 4 cups water in a baking dish with a lid, on 375 degrees for about 45 – 55 minutes. (I’m still experimenting on the timing to see what I like best.)

When the quinoa is done baking, let it cool. (I like to bake it in the evening and let it cool overnight, then add my ingredients the next morning.)

My favorite additions have been Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers, and Fresh Basil. Then I generously cover it with olive oil. I like to add salt, pepper, and a little apple cider vinegar. And that’s it! It’s so delicious.

Other additions that I think would be really tasty are fresh cilantro, parsley, and garlic. You could also make a Southwestern version with black beans and corn. Some pickled jalapenos would be mighty good in that too! So many possibilities!

One time, while I was making this recipe, Jeff wondered about adding oranges alongside the tomatoes and cucumbers. We had a really good batch of oranges at the time and though it seemed like a random combination to me at first, I decided to add some and it ended up being a wonderful addition!

Another time I made this recipe I was in a hurry to get out the door for a potluck, and didn’t feel like it was my best batch. I thought it needed more veggies, and more dressing… and you know, a bit more attention from me. However, even though it wasn’t my best batch, I had so many friends at the potluck rave about how good it was and ask me for the recipe. My point in sharing that is this recipe is pretty easy to please, even when you don’t have a huge amount of time to devote to preparing it.

What additions do you think would be really tasty in this Quinoa & Veggie Salad? I would love to hear your inspirations! If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!



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