Quinoa with Feta, Olives, and Tomatoes
When the heat index hits 106º F, salads and cold foods are all I want.
During the summer, any kind of grain served cold with delicious vegetables and a homemade vinaigrette is a winner. This recipe is pretty flexible. Feel free to use farrow, barley, rice, pearled couscous, or even orzo - and experiment with vegetables and flavor profiles.
Quinoa Salad
Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa or other grain
1/2 red onion, diced
4-6 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
about a dozen kalamata olives, sliced
juice of 1 lemon
1-2 tbsp dried oregano
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
6 oz. fresh feta cheese, crumbled
Directions
Put on a pot of salted water to boil. Quinoa requires 2 cups of water for every cup of dried grain. Add the quinoa. Once boiling, turn heat to low and cover. Let simmer for 20 minutes, or until the grains are soft and you can see the spiral shaped germ which is released when the quinoa is cooked.
While the grains are cooking, chop the vegetables.
In a large bowl, toss the onion, tomatoes, olives, and feta with the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper.
Once cooked, remove the quinoa from the pot and allow to cool to room temperature (or close to it). For faster cooling, spread it out in a thin layer on a large plate or sheet pan.
Toss the cooled quinoa with the rest of the ingredients and serve at room temperature or cold.
