Quinoa Salad with Veggies and Herbs
When Mayim first became vegan, she saw a recipe in a magazine for barley salad with herbs. She replaced the barley with quinoa, a high-protein seed from South America that is incredibly versatile, inexpensive, and easy to make. The result is one of her favorite dishes to bring to potlucks. You can prepare it with almost any vegetables and herbs you have on hand. The secret is to use a generous amount of the dressing and let it sit for a few hours before serving.
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked quinoa rinsed
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions green part only
- 1/2 cup seeded and diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas thawed
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a medium-size saucepan, combine the quinoa and 2 cups of water over high heat. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to low and simmer, covered, until all the water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the green onions, red pepper, peas, parsley, basil, and mint. Toss in the cooked quinoa.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then toss into the salad, stirring to mix well. Let stand for 1 hour for the flavors to blend.