Fresh Herb Quinoa Salad with Cucumber & Lemon

Oh how I love a cold, summer salad! The sky is the limit when you start with something simple like quinoa and add a bunch of fresh herbs and veggies. The quinoa base is a fun variation of the typical pasta salad, plus it brings a delicious nuttiness to the dish. This salad has simple ingredients, so feel free to let your imagination run wild and customize to your heart’s desire.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa, dry

1 lemon, zested & juiced

1 English cucumber sliced into thin half moons

1 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

1 cup fresh dill, chopped

2 teaspoons flaky sea salt, plus more to taste

extra virgin olive oil for drizzling and taste

Steps

Rinse quinoa until water runs clear. Add to small pot with 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 15 min or until all of the water has been absorbed. Transfer quinoa to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil to prevent clumping, toss, and let cool to room temperature.

Add lemon juice and zest, cucumber, basil, dill and salt with quinoa and toss to combine. Season to taste with more olive oil and salt, and serve.

Store leftover salad in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. May need to add a drizzle of olive oil if couscous is dry.

Variations

• Cooking for a crowd? Simply double the recipe, no complex calculations required!

• Amp up the protein and add sliced, cooked chicken breast or grilled shrimp

• More veggies? Add 1 cup of cooked and cooled green peas, 1 cup of pea tendrils, or more cucumber (recommend seasoning with more olive oil and salt)

• For a more salty, creamy salad add 1/2 cup of crumbled feta