Greek Quinoa Salad

My second culinary adventure with quinoa was just as successful as the first.  It really is so easy to cook, and I love that it’s a protein.  If you haven’t tried it yet, you should!  (Remember to rinse it thoroughly in cold water first though!)

I *love* all the flavors of Greek food, so when I discovered this recipe in Pinterest, it was a no-brainer that I had to try it ASAP.  It’s fast to make…by the time the quinoa was finished cooking, everything was chopped and ready to go!

Start with the quinoa…

• Start with 1 cup of quinoa.

• Place in a sieve and run under cold water to rinse.

• Put the rinsed quinoa into a small saucepan.  (My saucepan is 1.5 quarts.)

• Add 2 cups water.

• Bring to a boil.

• Reduce to a simmer.

• Cover and cook for 15 minutes (until the water is completely absorbed).

• When it’s finished, the rings will have separated and the quinoa will look somewhat transparent.

• Let cool before making the salad.

While the quinoa cooks, prep everything else…

• Halve 1 pint of grape tomatoes.

• Pit and halve a decent amount of kalamata olives.

• Cut up 1 cucumber.

• Dice 1/2 of a medium red onion.

While the quinoa cools, make the dressing…

• Start with 1/4 cup EVOO.

• Add 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar.

• Add 1 teaspoon of oregano.

• Whisk all ingredients together.

Now you’re ready to make the salad…

• Add the cooled quinoa to a large serving bowl.

• Add the grape tomatoes.

• Add the kalamata olives.

• Add the cucumbers.

• Add the red onion.

• Stir to combine everything.

• Add 1/2 a container of crumbled feta cheese.  (I used feta with herbs for the first time.  And boy was it good!)

• Mix again, then add the dressing.

This is a great lunch or side dish.  Perfect to bring to a summer BBQ!  Enjoy!