Sally
About the Recipe
Cooking fluffy quinoa takes a little finessing. But after a few failed attempts (and a little research), I think I've found the winning formula. You can find the directions below the recipe.
Ingredients
2 cups quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 cup chopped cucumber
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
Feta cheese, crumbled
Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white balsamic (or champagne) vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1) Mix dressing together and set aside.
2) Combine all other ingredients into a large bowl, except for the avocado.
3) Add the dressing and toss it into the salad. Top with avocado slices.
How to cook perfect quinoa
1) Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer: this is essential to remove the saponins - a bitter-tasting, naturally occurring compound.
2) OPTIONAL - Heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add drained quinoa and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3) Add quinoa and water (or broth) to a pan using a ratio of one part quinoa to two parts liquid.
4) Bring to a rolling boil. Lower heat and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.
5) Remove from heat and let stand for an additional 5 minutes. Do not peek!
6) Fluff with a fork.
Let cool before refrigerating. Quinoa can be stored in a sealed container for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 2 months in the freezer.